Evening star., 1925-12-06

account Of the National Lincoln
Monument Association" incorporated
by Congress March so. 1867, for the
| purpose OF erecting a monument in
the City OF Washington. commemo-
rative OF the great character of
emancipation and universal liberty in
America"
Every effort has keen expended in
vain by the Treasury in attempts to
reach the legal owners of this old
sum, originally in the custody Of +.
+. Spinner. who was not only treas
urer OF the National Lincoln Monu-
ment Association. but was also Treas
urer OF the United States from 1871 to
1875.
Funds were raised through a ma
tional campaign, in which the coop
Grafton of even postmasters and ma
tional banks was elected. but the
dream OF a memorial by the most
eminent and patriotic men of our
country" who were behind II at the
time. according TO old and faded rec
ords, never became fact. II had been
planned to spend 100000 for n gran
ito pedestal 75 feet high. surmounted
by ''35 colossal figures" in bronze
from ordnance captured during the
civil War. The exact site had not
been determined as late as May. 1868,
but II had been expected 10 locate the
memorial on the Capitol Grounds.
Held Two 81 900 Bonds.
Funds In the Treasury, for which
no rightful owner has as yet been
found. include cash which had been
set aside TO redeem two bonds of 81 900
face value each, of the District OF CO.
lumbia. issued August I. 1874. and
maturing August l. 1924. and to pay
interest on these bonds at the rate OF
500 per cent annually. The interest
unclaimed has mounted to more than
| the original principal of $4,000 and
now stands at S2.445.50. making
total of S4445.50
Not only has the holder of these
two outstanding bonds failed 10 pre-
sent them for redemption, but checks
totalling the above amount of in
terest, have been returned to the
| Treasury as often as they have been
sent out for a long period of time
The two bonds are the only rema in
ing ones of that issue unredeemed
Ihe ISSUE was fioated, 1t was said. 10
improvements in the District OF Co
| iumbia
So far as the Treasury has been
able TO determine, the organization
may be defunct. although Communi-
cations are on file from a James VI
Schumacher. who in 1904. lived in
Jacksonville. Fla. and who said tint
ne then had i'll his possession books.
papers and funds" Of the Lincoln
Monument Association
Two Memorials Built.
In the meantime while the old fund
had been piling up interest in the
| treasury, and interest checks had
been regularly coming back through
the mails, unclaimed Il grateful Gov
ernment and city had erected in this
city tWo stone memorials 10 the great
emancipator
In judiciary Square now stands the
statue OF Lincoln, made by Lot Flan-
merry of this city shortly after the
close OF the Civil War, while on the
banks OF the Potomac rises the ma
jesic Lincoln Memorial, costing
about s3.000,000. and said 10 be the
srandest structure ever reared to
the memory Of a single man. The
fIannery statue was temporarily re-
moved from Its place for a while dur
ing the reconstruction Of the court
house. but was recently replaced, on
Il new base.
The Lincoln Memorial in the NAH
was erected by Government funds
| alone. while the statue in Judiciary
square came from popular subscrip-
uons in the District OF Columbia.
The postmaster Of Jacksonville
Fla. was asked 10 find some trace of
Mr.. Schumacher. or Of his survivors
II possible, but reported he had had no
success In the search
The latest trace therefore in the
hands or the Treasury as 20 tho Of
! ficers or records of the old associa-
ton IS in correspondence in 1904 be
tween Mr.. Schumacher. and two other
| persons: T.. w. Hale, former cashier
II {,,
ana newspaper correspondent in
| Washin gton.
In these letters Mr.. Schumacher
says that he had books. vouchers and
| funds, which I understand were held
by Gen. Spinner as treasurer of the
Lincoln Monument Association. an or
Sanization in existence when he was
Treasurer Of the United States
No Trace Of Survivors.
After Gen. Spinner's death, which
occurred December 81. 1890. and dur
ing the years since ] have known
| about them, l have often made IN
! quiry OF those whom I thought might
know of the association and it's sur
| NtVinS officials, or of its responsible
/ unofficial survivors, with a view of de-
liverins these things, but have never.
| gotten any information whatever. nor
ilad any inquiry respecting them un-
| til now.
AS to the total amount subscribed
and paid in. as appears by the books,
| it was about $4,000, as I recall it,
J and there Is an uneXpended balance
| OF about 50 900 and a lot of vouchers.
which l presume cover the expendi-
| lures shown by the books As un-
| derstand, the receipts were wholly by
popular subscriptions and presumably
when they ceased the whole matter
was hung up, and they could not be
| returned. as there had been expendi-
ND IN, l>.N