The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-03
CHARITY VAMPIRES.
The Juvenile Guardian Society Brings the State
Board Of Charities Into Court.
THE BOARDS REPLY.
Only One Dollar in Four Alleged To Be
Expended on the Societys Objects.

present headquarters are at No. lol ST. Marks place.
petition time since by this society to
the Board Of Apporlonment asking donation Of
$4,000 from the city cxchequer to enable II to carry
successfully ITS work oil benevoencc. Rumors
in way became rife that only small por-
ton OF the funds contributed aid OF the society
used Tor the purposes represented In order 10 ascer
tain tho truth alsity OF these Messrs. Thco
dorc Roosevelt, Henry l. Hoguet and Josephine Shaw
Lowell were appointed by the State Board OF Charities
TO make thorough investigation into It's manage
ment Such examination to certain extent re-
and FAULT found with the publicity gwen to
the result OF such examination Falling back It's
legal rights the society brought injunction suit
restraining the examining committee named from
publishing anything in regard to their examination Of
alleged defamatory and libeous character.
THE COMPLAINT or SOCIETY
Tho society states In It's complaint that It has assd
uousy and faithfully pursued tho purposes aud duties
of its incorporation Tor period under the present and
prior organization Of nearly thirty years that the
ETY. has had endowment and is wholly dependent
upon public and private charities; that II has had
good name but since the panic its receipts have been
greatly reduced that David F. Robertson, regularly
licensed clergyman, Is tho Superintendent and Sccrc
tary Of the institution, and has had the general man
agcment OF its concerns; that the defendants claim
have the power given them by the State Board of Char
and are now conducting secret examinations against
tho society," from which the society's officers
cuded that they not allowed TO be represented by
counsel and have knowledge OF tho nature OF the
charges except gained from the publication
the evidence in the newspapers; that these pretended
visitors claim the power TO publish their proceedings
in the newspapers also the right conduct such
examination the purpose OF furnishing Information
to the Attorney General TO be used for the prosecution
OF criminal proceedings against the society and its off,
GERS; that the evidence thus far published has
garbIed and false, aud such dcamatory and libel
lous; Whereas If tho report had been true would
have justified the work OF Robertson the society,"
that the defendants arc hostile to tho society, and
have these reports to be published for the pur
pose breaking up tho society," that the society Is ad
viscd that tho State Board has no vlstorial power
over them and they ask that the defendants be- re-
strained from exercising the usurped visoral power
ana also that they be restrained from publishing any
beous. or detamatory statements In regard ~ the
affairs of this society. Upon the complaint and
ucxed aldavits of Mr. Robertson and others, already
published, temporary injunction was granted, and
the matter came up before Chief Justice Daily III tho
Court o.. Common Pleas, yesterday, on motion TO
make the injunction permanent.
THE DEFENDANTS SIDE OF TnE STORY.
General Barlow road lengthy affidavit, made by the
deendants jointly setting forth, among other things
that the report OF tho examiners was unanimously
accepted by the State Board, and that resolution
authorizing the Attorney General to take action
not hostile TO tue society any moro than that
they considered II pernicious and worthless
institution. They deny the allegations OF Robert
son in toto, and aver that they have right
examine the aii,lrs or the institution In their
ance with the statute; the functions OF such
executive ana not Judicial; that TO allow
tho society to have counsel and tho liberty OF cross
examining witnesses would BIO practically to take tho
out OF their control and that the examination
the affairs OF charitable institution arc TO be,
according to law, conducted IN tho same manner as
Investigation OF an insuranc company and other
corporations. As to FURNISHING the result OF their OK.
animation. they claim tho right to publish what
they choose and that the report published Is in
every way true They assert iurther That ut one time
So GOO was collected of which only $500 the
poor and rest the pockets oil Robertson
and other officers, and that the other publications were
made by the reporters who were present, and were
not procured by the defendants. General Barlow
claimed hat the Court had no power TO restrain the
publication vi libel and had no jurisdiction 10 inter-
icre with the defendants la the proper administration
EXAMINATION or THE STATE BOARD.
General Barlow also read the report OF tho ex-
am,ners sent tho state Boaru OF Charities, which
states that understanding that the society had
lic.ted $40 600 from the Board OF Apporonment, tho
examiners thought y their duty to examine into lis
present condition The report tnon shows that they
visited inc G ,nd there No b or ST. md A ark,
room, where thirtythrce children were attend
ing school. The teacher SAID sho knew
no why they could not attend the public school,
their parents were Ia comfortable circumstances
She she only had two states for the whole school,
and her salaryoi So week not paid regularly
In tho next to the school room live Or six
women sewing on machines receiving, as they said
scvcnly-nve cents dozen for making shirts on the
machine and forty cents tor ..nnsningn dozen,
which they received iron tho shirt dealcrs In the
front room on the same door there were thrce men
said they connected with tho department Tor
giving out rehci and were paid employees, aud that
when persons wanted assistance they were visited Mt
their homes that about $50 oaves Of broad, twO bar
and hall OF crackers and barrel and half OF
-four had been gwen out snce the relief department.
had been opened. Tho examiners say that they dis
that many OF the mendicants came from dts
tanco and they told that thcro one volunteer
visitor whose duty II inquire into the circum.
stances OF the applicants THIS is NIL tho work which
Is ut present carried by the Juvenile GUARDIAN So
clcy. Tho report then goes say that ihey were
told that the Secretary also had Office broadway.
Judging from these acs that the work oil tho society
not more efficient or satisfactory In 1877 than II
was In 1872, proceeded with inquiries by the
examination OF number ot witnesses, among others
the secretary receiver aud TWO other directors OF tho
society.
IGNORANCE or THE OFFICERS.
From their testimony We learned that mono OF tho
present directors who appeared before u.s. except the
secretary knew any ny OF the OF tho society.
They stated that they had not visited No. lOl st,
MARI - mace except on the occasion OF festivals Tor
yeur or more that although they believed that Mr..
Robertson the secretary, WAS doing good work, they
had no personal knowledge OF what II Mr. Robert
son himself icing examined under oath In regard
to what tho society had accomplished since the LIST OF
January OF this year, seemed 10 have great difficulty IN
calling to mind any sums spent for the actual benefit
OF the poor. while the amounts paid INN n0minaly
on account Of an old debt incurred IN 1864
consumed the bulk OF the money collected Tho io.
lowing facts were also developed by the cxamina-
ton: That while Mr.. Robertson claims to have been
giving his services Tor tie last twenty months grau-
tousy the society he admits having received during
that period between ono and two thousand dollars
account his socaled old calm IL further appeared
that The building No. l0l ST. Marks place Is mort
gagged over us iui value. and that only three
are the purposes VI the society that by tho
outdoor relief department not moro than 10 families
been relieved OF whom only nity had been visited
this relief some instances beng only few
ers.
MEAGRHSEss TiIE
From the examination OF suciI books OF tho society
laid before them, and IRON tho testimony OF
ND nj nj IA
before tho, they convinced that for some years
less than quarter OF tho cash received was ex-
pended In aiding those for whose benefit the society
was organized while, since January /, 1877 less than
onc-tcnth went to this object Their conclusion from
the above iacts that the juvenile Guardian Society
not mplishing WORK OF any value, either
an educational or charitable agency, that very
large proportion OF all money collected Tor the society
viii inevitably go ~ the future as III the past-to pay