The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-04-20
REVELATIONS THAT
STARTLE THE PEOPLE
ROGER WILLIAMS JUST TRANSFERRED
%999 UnacCOunted For--Dr. J. L. Harding Gives Some
Facts

lean Baptist Home Mission Society
Class 1 retiring in 1910: WIN. Haynes,
e. M. Lawrence, E. w. D. Isaac, c. H.
Clark, J. L. Harding. Glass @: retir-
ing in 1909: A. M. Townsend, G. H.
Bandy, G. B. Taylor, W. S. Ellington,
]. R. Evans. Glass 8: retiring in
1908, Peter Vertrees.
1t must be noted that Mr.. A. B.
hill is still a member of the Iruste
Board of Roger Williams University
and has been continuously. This
show that all the rights of the Trustee
Board under the American Baptist
Home Mission Society was transferred
to the Trustee Board elected by the
Missionary and Educational Conven-
tion of Tennessee.
1t will also be noted with interest
that in this transfer there were C. H.
Clark, J. L. Harding, and G. B. Taylor.
1t follows therefore that whatever of
ignorance was in display, whatever
of fraud was in purpose, whatever of
legal blunder was made, that these as
we'll were "particeps Criminis," if
there were any.
| plead guilty to the honor of be-.
ing elected by the convention as one
of the Educational Trustees in her
relation to Roger Williams, but / am
authorized to say that DR.. C. H.
Clark and Rev. G. B. Taylor were
not at the meeting and knew nothing
of it. We may have been I'm THE
TRANSFER" but we were not in
the meeting. Nil "particeps crimi-
nis"-I- object to being transferred
to Roger Williams by the Home
Mission Society.
The law says: 1.-THE trustees shall
elect their own members" then why
make the Home Mission Society the
referee in the matter? The trustees
say
Now as to the deeds. It is a fact
that the property on which Roger Will
liams University now stands was at
first decided to the American Baptist
Home Mission Society, the considera-
ton being $4,000.
A deed DIS an acknowledgement of
ownership protected by the laws of
the county and state. Thus they
now admit that the property be.
longs to the American Baptist Home
Mission Society.
The Home Mission Society
then in fee simple transferred the
property to Roger Williams University
as an entity, for a consideration of
one dollar, thus divorcing itself from
the institution save as provided in
the deed for its protection as its in
terest may appear in case of dissolu-
ton. Under no other condition did
we expect, could we expect, or do we
now expect the Home Mission Society
to put out the money placed into
their hands as Trustees.
To transfer in fee simple means
absolute ownership without any con-
ditiol attached. This was not done,
and WHY FOOL THE PEOPLE?
TO HAVE AND To HOLD said
property to said Roger Williams Uni
versity and its successors and assigns,
forever. This conveyance however, is
subject to the following conditions /:
,Q) Said property shall never be
mortagaged except with the consent
of the American Baptist Home Mis-.
sion Society. (2) In the event said pro.
perty shall cease to be used for the
purpose of Negro education under the
auspices and control of the Baptist
| Missionary and Educational Conven
M IN tlot -
an interest in said property shall re-
vert to The American Baptist HOME
! Mission Society, which interest shall
be in the same proportion to the
whole property as the total amount
that shall have been paid at such time
by The American Baptist Home Mis-
sion Society for the purchase and i'm
provement of said property, shall beaI
| to the total sum which shall at that
date have been expended for the pur
chase and improvement of said pro
perty from all sources
Now note condition Q provides for
the Home Mission Society to get
back its money if 1t takes ALL in
case the school is closed, from al
saurces," this means that If 100000
have been spent on improvements, etc.
and the creditors or fire should force
q sale of the property, like it did the
old site, if the Home Mission Socie
ty has spent $4,000 and the sale
only nets $25 600. the American Ban
fist Home Mission Society will gel
it all. Where is our 5000? Nothing
sajd yet. The trustees say:
The Conventions interest has beer
provided for in Bylaws that were
agreed upon and adopted by boil
the Board of Trustees and the Con
vention.
Property interests cannot we'll b.
protected by bylaws which may be
changed at will. Organic laws arr
the only safeguard around property
WHY FOOL THE PEOPLE?
NOW, Therefore. in consideration
~ Ono fS1 00l dollar and of fhl