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[[preprinted]] SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 859 [[/preprinted]] [[preprinted left margin]] MADE BY BAKER-VAWTER CO. [[/preprinted left margin]] ADDITIONAL GIFTS TO THE GELLATLY COLLECTIONS. The Secretary stated that on August 13,1930, Mr. Gellatly had added to his original donation gifts to the extent of some Two hundred thousand dollars in value, which had been duly accepted and acknowledged by the Secretary. The Secretary went on to say that recently he had [[overwritten]] v [[/overwritten]] been visited by a lady who stated that she had been married to Mr. Gellatly on September 24, 1930. He further stated that he had received the following petition from this lady, addressed to the Board of Regents:- 153 West 57th Street, New York City, N.Y. December 4,1930 To The Board of Regents, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Dear Sirs: I herewith present to you my petition for a reconsideration of the matter of the acceptance of the gift to your Institute of a certain part of the art collection known as the John Gellatly collection, for the following reasons:- In 1929 Mr. John Gellatly,of New York, offered to the Smithsonian Institute his art collection, estimated to be worth $4,000,000 upon certain conditions. After due investigation the Institute decided to accept the gift and, on June 6, 1929, a joint resolution was passed by Congress and approved by the President, ratifying the acceptance of said gift. Subsequent to the adoption and approval of the said resolution, Mr. Gellatly purchased additional objects of art for which, I understand, he expended at least several hundred thousand dollars, and which additional objects he presented, in August, 1930, to the Smithsonian Institute under the same conditions as attached to his original gift. These additional objects were, I am informed, accepted by your Institute without the formality of congressional ratification. For some years, and prior to the time of the passage of the above stated resolution, Mr. Gellatly had been persistent in his attentions to me looking toward the consummation of a marriage between us. He, at all times, represented himself to me as a man of very large fortune and had informed me that, irrespective of the collection of art which he proposed to give to the Institute, there would large and ample means to provide, not only for me as his wife, and my child, but also for himself in the future. As recently, I am now informed as July, 1930, he sold an interest belonging to him in certain New York City real estate (for some $250,000) and spent the entire proceeds [[Note: "c" was typed on top of original "v"]] of the same (Except some $20,000 or $25,000 which he used to purchase and annuity of $3,700 for himself) upon certain of the additional objects of art which were added to his collection and accepted by your Board, as I am informed, during August,1930. On September 2, 1930, Mr. Gellatly wrote me a letter, photostatic copy of which I attach to the original of this petition and make a part hereof. Shortly afterwards, namely on September 24,1930, we were married, and it was not until then that, to my utter amazement, I discovered that he had stripped himself of his entire fortune by his gift and the additions thereto (with the single exception of the above stated annuity), and that he had not even sufficient means to supply me with the necessities of [[strikethrough]] m [[/strikethrough]] life. Because of this I have been obliged to continue to support myself and my child, as I had prior to this marriage, Mr. Gellatly being unable to support us and, indeed,being forced to observe the most
Transcription Notes:
- "stated annuity" had an extra "e" in "stated" that was stricken out and a curved line was handwritten from the first "e" to "d" to indicate that the word was "stated"
