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                 CHARLES SCHNEIKRAUT
                   Attorney at Law  
                 16    Court   Street
                                                   
Brooklyn, N.Y.
                                                            
                             
                       
                                December 17th,1936
John M. Hackett, Esq.
226 Union Street
Poughkeepsie, New York
 
Dear Mr. Hackett:
                 The Bankers Trust Company were in
touch with me with reference to the James R. Roosevelt
Estate after receiving my letter which was forwarded
by you to them.
 
                 I saw Mr. O'Fritz, an officer of the
Bankers Trust Company connected with the MOrtgage of
Real EstateDepartment, and went into the entire matter
with him and he suggested that I set forth my proposition
by letter to you, of which I am to send him a copy.
   
                 In 1912, the City of New York, made an
award of $15,200.00 to an "unknown over" for the purpose
of the public park.About 30% of the property taken for
this public park was owned by JamesRoosevelt.James
Roosevelt acquired this property in 1877.
 
                 In the chain of title it appears that
the property was conveyed to  a skating park, to revert
to the owners thereof. James Roosevelt, in 1877 acquired
the reversionary  interest.I have proof that the property
was used as a skating rink in about 1864 for a year or
two and was then found to be impractical and unsable
as a skating park and was abandoned by the skating
association so that the property actually was reverted
to James Roosevelt.
 
                 It is, therefore, my opinion that I can
prove that the James Roosevelt Estate is entitled to about
30# of the award. Out of this award, the city has taken
taxes which were a lien at the date of vesting title in
the City of New York  so   that   there is a balance due
of about $ 2800.00 with interest at the rate of  6% per
annum from 1913 to date. This brings the amount of the
award to about $6500.00.The James Roosevelt Estate would, 
therefore, be entitled to approximately $1800.00 of the
award.
 
                 James Roosevelt, as you no doubt are
aware, by his Will gave a life estate in all of his property
to his widow, Sarah Delano Roosevelt and the remainder,
one-half to the Hon. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and one-half
to James R.Roosevelt, of whose Estate you and the Bankers
TrustCompany are
executors.
  
                 In 1931, our President, than Governor of 
New York, and the other heirs at law of james Roosevelt
gave a deed to part of the property involved in the grant
to James Roosevelt.