3. On or before April next, I will file with the officials of the Smithsonian Institution or the United States Government a descriptive inventory of the objects belonging to the collections.
4. Both I and my executors shall be free from any liability on account of any loss in, or danger that may accrue to the collections while in my or their charge, even though such loss or injury shall occur by reason of my or their negligence, or the negligence of my or their servants, agents or employees.
The exact form of the bequest or gift, and the details for carrying it into execution, are legal questions that can be agreed upon by counsel representing the Institution or the Government and myself.
I am, with great respect, very sincerely yours.
This offer differed from that made directly to the Secretary of the Institution under date of December 27, 1904, in omitting the word "changes" in section 3 of the proposition to bequeath, leaving to Mr. Freer only the right to add to the collections, section 2 of the offer to make present conveyance being also modified to the same effect. Under the offer of present conveyance an additional clause, numbered 3, had been added, as follows: "On or before April next I will file with the officials of the Smithsonian Institution or the United States Government a descriptive inventory of the objects belonging to the collections."
After a discussion of the significance of these changes and of resolutions offered by Doctor Bell looking toward the acceptance of the offer, the following resolution was adopted:
The Board of Regents, recognizing the great value to the people of the United States of the art collection so generously offered by Mr. Charles L. Freer, of Detroit, Michigan,
Resolved, That the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution do hereby accept the tender of Mr. Freer to make present conveyance to the Institution of the title to his art collection, and to bequeath to the Institution the sum of five hundred thousand dollars for the construction of a fireproof building in which to house it—under the terms as stated in his communication to the President of the United States dated December 15, 1905.
REQUEST OF BELL & CO. FOR REIMBURSEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE BARNETT FORGERIES.
Doctor Bell read a letter from Messrs. Bell & Co., bankers, requesting that the Institution submit an estimate to Congress for the sum of $525, with interest, to reimburse the bank in that amount, which had been paid on forged indorsements of Frank M. Barnett while an employee of the Bureau of American Ethnology. Doctor Bell said that the letter had been considered by the executive committee which had resolved to submit it to the Board of Regents with a recommendation that it be referred to the attorney of the Institution for examination and report. On motion, the letter was so referred.
