XVIII PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 



3. On ov before April uext, I \vill file with the officials of the Smithsonian 

 Institution or the United States fiovernnient 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. 



Charles L. Freer. 



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 reso- 

 lutions 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, request- 

 ing 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 recom- 

 mendation that it be referred to the attorney of the Institution for 

 examination and report. On motion, the letter was so referred. 



