Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-19
Charges of Fraud and Corruption.

NHICAGO, Ecu. U.
To the Editor Of the Cincinnati Gazette:-I
have noticed considerable in the papers of this
city lately relative to the Cincinnati soup house.
Having formerly been resident of yotr city,
have felt no little Interest in the controversy.
| have been, since the fire, a compulsory
gentleman OF elegant leisure" having my
business and my home burned out from under
me, and compelled to wait until spring before
could begin again. [ have therefore spent good
deal of my time in looking after more. needy
sufferers than myself dOng volunteer work in
their behalf When the Cincinnati soup
house was established reioced at it, and so did
all the people. 1t was regarded as one of the
best of the instrumentalities of relief set Id Op
Grafton in our city, and so continued TO be re-
garded until the attack Upon it by Mr.. Writ
Dexter, of the relief society. 1t Would seem
that that society, as well as many others in Chi
cago, have walked fat aud kicked, and have as
sumed dictatoral tone toward the contribut-
ors to the relief of our city. The society, or the
managers of it, have written far and near, tell
ing contributors not TO send to volunteer organ
iZations, and giving all sorts Of imaginary rea-
sens therefor. Now, why are those managers
| so anxious to handle all the funds?
Over 100000 have been expended for lumber
Large sums have been paid out for coal, for
stoves, fol clothing, for furniture, &c. You are
| aware that, while charging no more than the
| regular MAJ bet price, dealers of all kinds will
pay commission ranging from five TO twenty
per cent. tor business. Ten is the ordinary per-
centage. Take the lumber ANY dealer would
pay ten per cent for trade brought TO them OF
fifty or a hundred thousand dollars. Ten per
cent. on the $500, 900 paid out by the acting man
ayers OF the relief society would bring them in
the nice little plum of $4,000, for which they
are not required to a, count, as they purchase at
the REGULAR market price. And as our dealers
are getting more by twenty or twenty-five per
cent, than before the fire, they can well adnrd to
pay it in this dull season. And so with all the
purchases, which would yield commission of
S15O,000 or 100000. dealer told me he had
paid these commissions, on a trade with the
agent of the committee, and we may, therefore,
reasonably inter that this is the reason of the
anxiety TO handle all the funds, and to obtain
money instead of goods.
10 the general public, and with the press, the
management of the relief is all colour de rose
But the fact that one lady-an enterpliSing
widow by the name OF Tucker-obtalned goods
and money to the value of $4,000 does not
speak well for the iaithfunessness or vigilance
of the managers This case was reported in the
papers and confirmed to me by one of the socie
ty. There are Others of similar character
The north side suh-depot Of distribution APP
pears TO he the worst managed in the city. An
account Of stock was taken a short time ago.
and $4,000 pounds Of -four, II, 400 yaIds Of cot
ten cloth, and other articles in proportion, could
not be accounted for. They had been spirited
away after having been delivered to the dis
Lributing agents by the purchasing committee
My informant is one who attempted to Straiehten
out matters there, and therefore cannot well he
mistaken.
These are some specimens of the way this So
clety, of which we hear so much and which has
become so dictatOral is managed.
Ii Cincinnati has any money TO appropriate it
would find an excellent agency in the ladies
Christian union; none better.
CHARLES D. McCoY.