Evening star., 1939-08-17
Hyde Park Estate
Owner Denies Divine
Has rendered Bid
Exchange of Letters
With Roosevelt Is
Made Public
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEWPORT. R. l., Aug 17-Despite
the fact that President and Mrs.
Roosevelt agreed Father Divine,
Harlem religious leader. had right
to buy a 70O-acre estate at Hyde
Park, N. ", for a heaven" Mrs.
James l.. Van Allen. owner of the
property. denied today she was nego-
tiating for its sale.
Mrs. Van Allen denies that she
has either directly or through her
agent negotiated with Father Divine
for a sale to him of her Hyde Park
real estate" her attorney, w. G.
Murphy of New York, said in
statement.
There are no negotiations now
pending with Father Divine and
Mrs. Van Allen has never contem-
plated possibility of selling the
property to him. Any correspond
i ence between Father Divine and the
President and Mrs. Roosevelt was
entirely without Mrs. Van Aliens
knowledge"
Letters Exchanged.
Divine's white secretary, John
Lamb, made public yesterday
series of letters in which both Mr..
and Mrs. Roosevelt agreed with the
father that he had a right to buy
a second heaven" near the ancestral
Roosevelt home in Hyde Park, N. Y.
The correspondence, as published
today by the New York Times, fol-
lows:
Father Divine's letter to Mrs
Roosevelt, which initiated the cor
respondence, follows:
PEACE,
1887 Madison Avenue,
New York City,
Aug. 7, 1885,
A. D. F. D.
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt,
The White House,
Washington, D. C.
My dear Mrs. Roosevelt:
Out of my appreciation for your
graciousness, and your democratic
stand on so many phases of life, I
am writing to you as a matter of
courtesy, to ascertain your views on
matter which intimately concerns
your Hyde Park home.
A group of my followers have be-
come interested in purchasing the
Vanderbilt estate near your home on
the Hudson. They would like to
maintain this property as a private
residence for me and my staff, and
as place where l can receive dis
tlnguished guests.
However, the present administra-
ton at Washington has been so
democratic and so liberal, I would
not for moment wish to embarrass
you or your friends in any way.
1 have therefore withheld my ap-
proval of the plans of my followers
until I had an opportunity to con-
suit your wishes in the matter.
II you would be so kind as to let
me know whether or not it would
be entirely agreeable to you for this
property to be occupied for such
purposes, l should appreciate
frank statement on your part. and
shall withhold my approval of the
plans of my followers until l hear
from you.
With sincere wishes to you, desir-
ing that you and all who are con-
cerned might be as I am, this leaves
me well, healthful, joyful, peaceful
lively, loving, successful, prosperous
and happy in spirit, body and mind
ana IN every organ, muscle, sineW,
joint, limb, vein and bone, and in
every atom, fibre and cell of nv
bodily form.
Respectfully and sincere, I am.
Rev. M. J. DIVINE.
(Better known as Father Divine.)
Telegram to the President.
Father Divine followed this letter
the next day with a telegram to the
President, which read as follows:
August 8, 1899, A. D. Ed.
Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt,
Hyde Park.
New York.
With respect and appreciation
OF your many humanitarian ef-
1ortS and your very democratic
administration at Washington,
'AAN Jot 90 a illdllCl VI COul GtSy
to ascertain your views on a mat
ter which intimately concerns your
Hyde Park home. 1 wrote Mrs.
Roosevelt at Washington yesterday,
but waited to communicate with
you until had record of your where
abouts.
My followers wish to purchase
the Vanderbilt estate at Hyde Park
as a private residence for me and
my staff and place where I can
receive distinguished guests. AS this
Is very near your estate, have with
held my approval of the plan until
I could consult you. I would not
for moment wish to embarrass you
or your friends in the least Would
you be so kind as to let me know
whether or not it would be pleas
Ing to you for this property to be
used for such purpose? 1 should
appreciate frank statement i'm
mediately if convenient.
Peace.
Rev. M. j. DIVINE,
CFather Divine.
1887 Madison Ave,
New York City.
Mrs. Roosevelt's Reply.