Feb. 13th, 1939. Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt The White House Washington, D. C. Dear Franklin: Some time ago Hatfield acquired the title to two one-sixths interest in the Lent wood lot from Deane Lent and John DeWitt Lent and has recorded the deeds to him, so that he now owns one-third of the property. Since then he has been trying to purchase another sixth from Theodore D. Lent, sone of Theodore D. Lent, deceased, of 1317 Wade St., Highland Park, Ill. Finally he sent word to Hatfield that he must see the property before he would sign a deed, so Hatfield dropped all negotiations with him. He then wrote to Mrs. Charlotte E. Leo of 50 Primrose Ave., Tuckahoe, N. Y., Mrs. Rose D, Lewis of 155 East 72nd St., New York City and Mrs. Harriet D. Adams of Provincetown,Mass., the three daughters of Franklin Townsend Lent, each owning a one-sixth interest. In October, shortly after you received the report from the Post Office Department in reference to the Lent family, I had Hatfield write to Mrs. Leo at the above address and ask her for the names and places of residence of her brothers and sisters. She gave the above address of her sister, Mrs. Lewis, and in comparing that with the report, it would appear that there had been a divorce between her and her husband, who is a member of the firm of Lewis & Conger of New York. I understood from you that Mrs. Lewis married someone employed in the Executive Offices and,therefore,she must be his second wife. A few days ago Hatfield received a letter from A.W. Lent, an attorney at Highland, Ulster Co., N. Y., who apparentlyrepresents Mrs. Charlotte Lent Leo, a copy of which I am enclosing here with. Mr. Lent is not related to this Lent fanily in any way that I know of as his father came from Clinton and was a brother of Lewellyn Lent who used to live near George S. Van Vliet. In recent years Mr. Everett H. Travis of this City represented the Morgan branch of the Lent family and Mr. Edward K. Haas of Aldrich, Morschauser & Haas, represented the Warring branch of the Lent family. Although Hatfield is a prominent Republican Alderman here holding the record title to one-third of the wood lot,apparently some one has suspected something and Mrs. Leo has been shifted from Poughkeepsie over to Mr. Lent at Highland. Mr. Lent is a very difficult person to do business with and I am going to tell Hatfield that he had better advise him that it is too icy to go out and look at the lot now. There is no doubt in my mind as soon as (MORE) |