New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-22
DIR. THOMS AT HIS OLD TRICKS.

COLLECTING MONEY ON FALSE PRETENCES
ABOUT HIS IABoRS
Regularly every summer, about the time that
the festive watermelon makes glad the souls of the
of Ham, comes the usual complaint as to DR.. W. F.
Thoms's endeavor to win his daily bread by playing
the charitable strings Of the public heart. 1t
learned recently that check drawn by Messrs Hitch
cock Darling In favor of the Fresh Air Fund" had
been paid into his account at down town bank by the
erratc DOCTOR and that the had been pur
sued in regard check signed by Pierre Lorilard It
also appears that the doctor Is widely disseminating
circular one-haf Of which is devoted to the peculiar
Humane Society which has been often and thor
oughy exposed 10y the press while the other half is
headed Fresh Air Fund.- and contains this statement:
Three hundred sick children
Visits tenement houses their excursions for
sick children their floating hospital sanitari-
and trips to the country. The Flower Mission dis
tributes large numbers OF flowers TO the sick. and the
Society establishing system OF bringing the sea-
water and air into every room IN the city OF New
York. so that the sick children can have change OF air
az any moment. . go
The demands upon for the sick and destitute chill
dren never more numerous and pressing than now
We need all the help that Christian sympathy and hui
name compassion can spare for our work.
We have received letters % approval ana CONTRIBUTORS
from the following distinguished gentlemen and ladies'
This ia followed by long list of among which
those Of many prominent persons. As the doctor
still TO be able to prey on the unwary TRIBUNE
reporter of this week short tour OF investga-
ton. lie called first at No. 90 Madlson-st dingy-
looking old house ornamented to the front by divers
signs and racards setting forth that Is the abode Of
DR. W. F. Thoms He was Hospitality entreated by the
worthy in question TO enter and long conversation
followed IN the OF which sundry startling state
ments made by the President OF the Fresh Air
Fund -; and still startling discoveries and conclu-
sions arrived at by the visitor In the first place, the
doctor stated that the Fund had been in existence for
aua1tu nf
house house visitation, and that when the suffering
children found they were taken TO large
open space and laid under the trees" thus reducing
their temperature and saving their lives The large
open space turned TO be small back yard graced
by the presence OF few stuned trees and small plot
OF grass. The doctor further stated that sometimes
the children sent into the country. but the only
place he could remember that any one had actually been
sent wh. the Seaside santarium at ROckaway Subse-
QueIt inquiry from the manager Of the Sanitarium
bro ht out the fact that for two they had seen or
neHia h1 h OF Tue u1 f 4 niS & ,ro loo Is 200
children In the sanarnm at the present time seat there
Gently Of the instructions grauousy given to the poor
for rendering their homes healthy but when asked for
to the nature OF these instructions could
only say that he told the people TO keep their windows
open ana on not nights 10 Iag WEI cl9hs III ioi y "a
them. lie also referred To chimerca scheme he mad
started which would Introduce sea-waler into every
house.
The managing clerk at the Fifth Avenue Hotel informed
the reporter that the check mentioned above was sent
july 8 IN answer 10 letter from lnOnh III
paid IN "a downtown bank ind0rsed first by Thoms as
President OF Fund and again with his personal sig
nature. on July they received letter OF acknowledge
ment and thanks, which bears the significant In
dorsenent in pencil. Fraud.
Mr. Gray, OF the firm OF Tiffany & Co., said: " The
doctor Is fraud. afraid. Last July we were fools
enough give him $20 but sent some one down to
investigate and they found that the fresh air was ad-
minstered In a little hole OF q back yard"
Dr. AlonEo Clark. president OF the College OF Pbysi-
clans Surgeons staredtwith astNnishment when he
saw his the circular 81 saw the man last as
well can remember about eight or nine years ago,
he said I" but have beard Of his Fresh AIR
Fund. Thoms graduated In 1860" continued he
consulting medical list and ia also in the list OF
regular physicians. / don't know him, and have always
had nm impression that ne a humbug"
Mr.. Lord OF Lord * Taylor, said: A man OF that
name came here few day ago and asked for SUB
fcription. thought he meant for The TRIBUNE Fresh
Air Fund.- hut he had authority 10 show and did
not like his looks told him 10 come IN again He has
not turned up since"
member OF the firm OF W. X j. Sloane said: He has
right. am sure, 10 use John sloane's name Mr..
sloane Is In Europe. He may have given two or three
dollars years ago, but we know Ihoms well enough by
this time. Why, almost kicked him out OF the office
two years ago. The whole affair Is humbug am con-
WINGED"
The same opinion was generally expressed wherever
inquiry made