No. 523.
Mr. Bell
to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
The
Hague, March 7, 1887. (Received March
19.)
No. 228.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith for your
information a copy of a correspondence recently exchanged between this
legation and the foreign office here with reference to a report which has
been given very general circulation through the press in the United States
in regard to an imaginary estate known as the Graaf, Graff, Graef, Groff, or
Grove, which is supposed to have been the subject of recent legislative
action in this country.
It will be seen by reference to the reply of the minister of foreign affairs
that the report is without foundation.
The following persons who have addressed inquiries to this legation upon the
subject of this supposed estate have been advised of the result of my
investigation, viz:
(1) John H. Stoutenburgh, esq., attorney and counsellor at law, 115 and 117
Nassau street, New York; (2) J. G. Ogle, esq., attorney, Latrobe, Pa.; (3)
Messrs. Baker and Ball, attorneys, Iowa City, Iowa $ (4) P. P. Graf, esq.,
American Hotel, Brookville, Pa.: (5) D. G. Moore, esq., Sheffield, Ill.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 228.]
Mr. Bell to Mr.
Karnebeek.
Legation of the United States,
The Hague, February 22,
1887.
Sir: I have the honor to bring to your
excellency’s notice the inclosed paragraph, clipped from a newspaper
published in the United States, which I have received from an interested
party, and by which you will perceive it is represented that the State
General of the Netherlands have recently passed an act tending to
restore to the heirs of one Graff an estate which is said to have been
confiscated by this Government in 1707.
After the correspondence which has passed between the Government of His
Majesty and this legation since my arrival here upon the general subject
of estates in Holland and from my knowledge of the proceedings of the
State General, I can not believe this story.
Since this paragraph was started in its round of circulation in the press
of the United States, I have received frequent inquiries with regard to
the truth of the report.
The continued circulation of the report, if destitute of foundation, will
undoubtedly lead to hardships and injustice in the case of many poor
people, and may seriously affect many citizens of the United States.
[Page 893]
I beg, therefore, in consequence, to say I should be much obliged to you
if you would inform me whether there is any foundation for the
report—whether any such estate as that mentioned has at any time been
the subject of legislative consideration or departmental action by this
Government.
In case there is a total lack of foundation for the report in question it
will be exceedingly agreeable to me if your excellency will trouble
yourself to furnish me with an official statement to that effect, that I
may be able to officially deny the truth of the report.
I seize, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 228. Special to the
Commercial Gazette.]
Wilkes
Barre, Pa., January
31.
G. S. Groff, one of the oldest residents and alderman of this city, on
Saturday received the startling intelligence that he was one of a score
of persons who had just fallen heir to an estate in Holland, valued at
$76,000,000. The great-great-grandfather of Alderman Groff, the story
goes, was a Sixth-Day Baptist, and was so persecuted on account of his
belief that he was forced to leave his native land. His estate was
confiscated by the Government. He came to America in 1707 and settled in
Germantown, this State, and from him descended the Groff family.
Recently the Dutch Parliament passed a law restoring to the heirs the
land that had been confiscated, together with all improvements and
interest up to the date of the passage of the bill. This is said to be
worth $76,000,000.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 228.
Translation.]
Mr. Karmbeek to Mr.
Bell.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
The
Hague, March 4,
1887.
Mr. Minister: In reply to your letter of the
22d February last, I have the honor to bring to your knowledge that the
communication which has appeared in the American journals relative to
the existence in the Netherlands of a considerable succession arising
from the name Graff, and of which the proceeds would be held at the
disposition of the lawful heirs, is entirely invented.
At several intervals, heretofore, inquiries have been made in relation to
a succession Graaf, Graff, Graef, Grove or Groff, but this succession is
wholly imaginary, and it appears not improbable that the persons who in
good faith believe they may inforce rights respecting such inheritance
are the dupes of certain intriguers, as for example appears from the
letter, copy herewith, which was addressed some years since to the
secretary of the commission of liquidation of the affairs of former
orphans’ chambers.
I seize, etc.,
[Inclosure 4 in No. 228.]
Mr. Weskvater to
Minister of Foreign
Affairs.
Baltimore, Md., April 1,
1879.
Mynheer: Eleven years ago J. Hervey Ewing, an
attorney at law, then of this city, visited Holland and The Hague in the
interests of and representing the heirs of Hans Graff or Graaf, who
believed themselves entitled to a large sum of money held by your
Government, and in proof of which they in trusted their legal
representative with certain important evidence (now in my possession),
to establish and prosecute their claim. After his return to this
country, Ewing declared his mission had been a failure and there was no
money or estate held in reversion by the Government for the heirs. Thus
the matter rested for a time, but finally Ewing confessed to me, binding
me by a solemn promise of secrecy which I have never yet divulged, the
whole history of his proceedings at The Hague, of his audience with
yourself and King William, and of the arrangements entered into by which
he was to forever keep silence and preserve an inviolable secrecy in
regard to the matter, in return for which certain stipulated payments
(the amount, manner of payment, and by whom payable being known to me)
were to be made to him as a recompense.
The whole transaction being known to me and having obtained proofs which
establish it clearly for years past, I have been collecting a mass of
evidence bearing
[Page 894]
on the
subject, which establishes to a certainty the existence of the estate,
and which no court of justice in the world could gainsay or set aside.
By virtue of my office as an advocate, I am prepared to visit the Hague
in the interests of the heirs, but before taking the journey desire to
confer through you or any accredited agent with the Government, and am
prepared to enter into negotiations that will be to the interest of both
the Government and myself, and make the same arrangements as were made
in the case of Ewing. It would pay me as well to prosecute the case,
fortified as it is with the strongest evidence, but I defer visiting
your country until I hear what terms the Government is willing to make
in order to insure my not taking any further steps.
All communications may be addressed to
