Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-30
THE CHARITY CONCERT.


The CHARITY CONCERT.
The cowsrdiy Kick Of . Small Soul.
In yesterday mornings EAGLE appeared
on an anonymous communication which in
effect charged that there was something
wrong in connection with the giving of the
late Charity concert The letter was pub
lished in violation of our rule, not as re-
Election upon the management of the concert
and not that we ever suspected that any,
thing could be wrong. but more to show the
gall Of some peoples suspicious natures,
knowing that q full statement Of the entire
transaction would soon be published.
There were people who impugned the mo-
tives of Christ and there are vet people who.
IL they saw an angel ministering to dying
SOUL, would impute some selfish or sinister
design. Ifthere was any steal or anything
crooked in that concert, the editor of the
EAGLE is into it just as deep as anyone, for
our name stood at the head of the commit
Of arrangements. That cowardly, anony-
nous communication, in fact, was a direct
reflection on our honesty and manhood, as
it was upon Prof Arbuckle and the twenty |
or thirty merchants who held tickets for |
sale.
Now as to the history Of that concert: A
few weeks since in this Office, Prof Arbuckle |
and the editor Of the EAGLE were talking of
the restitution and probable suffering of
many in this city; the conversation, We be-
lieye, growing out of some article we had
written on the subject, when the professor
said he had been thinking of getting up
charity concert, but there were so many
things announced ahead Of like character
there seemed little chance. We replied that
SO far as that was concerned, money thus
raised would be needed for many weeks to
come, and that by all means to 60 ahead
with this charitable plan, and that the EAGLE
would aid him every way in its power.
Some day or two afterwards, maybe longer
Professor Arbuckle came in again, saying:
Il have seen n number of people who will
assist in such q concert, and If you will allow
your name to be used in connection with the
management, II! get some banker to handle
the money or TO act as treasurer,
and we will have relief COM
mittee appointed by the meeting. We,
consented to the use of our name and prom
ised to do all that was necessary to arouse
public interest. Professor Arbuckle there
upon grew enthusiastic saying that he would
not only use great care that no cause for
criticism should arise, but that no churches,
societies or other organizations as such
should be known in it, but that it should be
Peoples move for the relief Of destitute
women and children. We carried out our
part of the programme. The first work of
the Prof was to get up an advertising sheet
containing some appropriate appeals and
the programme. BY going to about every
merchant in the town and many others he
secured enough advertising patronage to
pay for this work, and it took days of close
. faithful work that we know of. Ten thous-
and of these papers were printed in the in
terest of the movement at actual loss to this
Office, and which cost nobody but the adver-
tisers cent. As for Professor Arbuckle for
! three weeks almost dav and night he devoted
, his time to the noble work in land, neglect
E ing his business, neglecting everything for
5 this unselfsh and praiseworthy cause.
, Some days he would drop in as often as
t half dozen times to consult
e US about this, that and the
! other. The people know the rest. The
concert melted all and more than either he
, or we expected. After the necessary ex-
: penses were paid there were two hundred
: and twenty-three dollars and fifty cents in
E the treasury. There was not, there could
not have been, single cent squsndered OF
, stolen, and if the snarling, suspicious person
: who wrote that communication will send us
q bis or her name and tine amount they con-
j tributed we will send them back their money
: out Of our own pocket. But that Mr..
! Brown, the general agent of the musical
2 firm, with which Mr.. A. does his business,
e had taken up so much of the latter's time, a
{ statement would have been prepared and
published ere this. But for every ticket
4 sold, every cent paid in or out, there are
: abundant vouchers snd documents to show,
and the man who would intimate that We,
e who have written columns in behalf of the
} poor this winter, or that Prof. Arbuckle,
who has worked day and night for weeks in
in that behalf, would defraud the needy OF so
: much as crust of bread is too contemplate
: and small to have a lot or parcel in any
, noble work, Professor Arbuckle not only
r has the thanks OF the EAGLE but of this en-
tire community for his hearty, earnest and
] unselfsh efforts which resulted so wonder
, fully.
, WICHITA, KAN, Jan. "a, 1886.
To to the Editor Of the Eagle.
t Following is a statement of the full re-
E ceipts and expenditures of the Peoples Re
t lief concert. 1t is made at the earliest
E possible moment, taking all of my time
5 since the entertainment 1t is a grand result
: and speaks volumes for the generosity of the
t people of Wichita. Each person knows in
his heart how much he helped, and in his
, own heart only will find reward. The CON-
E mittee of good ladies has already begun its
, work, and find considerable to be done. II
! will be laborious task, and every person
, should aid in all ways possible.
, Very Truly, G. w. ARBUcKLE.
Statement of receipts and expenditures Of
T the peoples Relief" concert, held at the
/ opera house January q, 1885, the fund be-
ing especially for the relief of destitute wo-
! men and children:
Full receipts from tickets. 90
Cash at door. ........................... so
Concert receipts. 80
Receipts from ''The Relief" ........... 62 SO
$500 90
Expenses
Printing and distributing. ..........--..S63 6s
Opera house. III wv
Moving piano. w
Carrage......-.-....-- ,--...-.--.-.-....... w
S78 6S
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