The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-08
ASSOCIATED CHARITIES.
Annual Report and Election of officers
Yesterday.

Inc annual meeting of the Associated
Charities was held yesterday afternoon.
These officers were elected:
President-Mr E. P. Chase.
Vice Presidents-Rev. William Il.
Phelan, DR.. HI. M. Nickerson.
Secretary and Treasurer-Miss G. M.
Patten
Attorney-Byron D. Verrill.
chairman of Nominating Committee
Mrs. Henry Taylor.
The annual report was then made by
| the secretary, Miss Patten, and accepted
This is the report:
| The return of winter reminds us that
| the work of the Associated Charities,
which was in measure laid aside during
| the summer months is again to be taken
up and we are glad that it is so for it
will be pleasant to meet our fellow
helpers again, and to talk over our
varied experiences in this most eventful
year. Most of our number have been on
| the wing; many attending the Worlds
Fair, others the New England Confer
ence of Charities in Newton, and we
trust what they have seen and heard,
| and learned will not only be profitable
to them, but that they will be ready to
1mpart the knowledge received to those
who have "tarried by the ship"
The work Of. the year now closing varies
but little from that of former years. The
| meetings were regularly held from De-
cember TO May: The secretary was in
attendance each day; also one of the
directors. Numerous cases were brought
to US for Investigation, each, one being
carefully looked into, and as a general
thing visited more than once; the WISH
tors have been very prompt, seldom let
| ting day pass after receiving request
| to visit family, before attending to it.
| The different benevolent societies have
readily responded to all calls. An appeal
for clothing made through the press
was the means of leading many to look
over their wardrobes and see what could
be spared and the result was ii bountiful
supply of men, women's and children's
clothing. Many children were fitted for
Sunday and day schools. and many
working men were furnished with warm
overcoats. Indeed we were giving out
clothing all through the season and
finished with sending fifty garments to
Labrador. Two of our benevolent citi-
tried to spend very judiciously, saving a
few dollars with which to commence
this year.
The cases of fraud were less during the
winter than usual. Since then there
have been several. On Fast day lady
called to me as was passing near Mellen
| and Congress streets to say that a young
boy with badly scalded arm had called
at her house. He was soliciting money
to take him to Philadelphia where his
parents lived. He said he had been work.
ing in restaurant in Montreal where he
met with this accident. His employer
paid his way to Portland and here he
we until n1 mo- 81 II
was made comfortable, a good meal and
some money given him. There was then
no time fol investigation, but he was
taken to the Atlantic house and the pro-
prietor requested to care for him until
the case could be looked up. He took
one meal and then left, probably PREFER
ing begging to Investigation.
Sabbath evening in July man
called soliciting money. He said he was
a Scotch Presbyterian, had been laiG I'D
witha broken leg and was just dis
charged from hospital that he was
from Manchester, England, had pre-
viously called on two of our clergymen
who had assisted him little. one of
them directing him to the Charities. He
was provided with lodging and requested
to call at the City building the next
morning, but was not seen again. There
was one other case similar to this In
each case money was wanted at once,
failing to get that, all other offers of
help were of no use. In five instances
women have been very persistent in their
efforts to procure money; one who said
she had sick daughter in Boston and
it was important she should leave that
night in the boat to remove her to her
home. She was refused the money until
some one should investigate. The visitor
sent could find no such person at the
street and number given, put the same
person has since served out a term at the
house of correction for dishonesty. A
feeble elderly woman asked for money to
pay for lodging, had been visiting friends
in Dover and wished very much to get
to her home in New Brunswick, but |
could not tell where she was stopping.
She did not know by what train she |
came, did not seem inclined to have a |
pass procured, or her case looked into.
She was provided with lunch and horse |
car ticket, Tut was evidently disap-
pointed not to have money.
One case feel very sorry to report, |
but will do SO as it may serve as a |
caution to some who may sbe think |
ing they have seen too much of human |
nature to be imposed upon. A young
man calling himself George Henry |
Lakey from Brighton, England, intro |
duced himself to me some time in Au- |
gust giving as a reason for calling, that |
| once befriended a sister of his who was |
boarding at the Woman's Christian asso- |
c1atlon and assisted her In procuring |
place. She was in poor health and had |
since died, leaving him quite alone in |
the world. He seemed to be Christian |
young man, familiar with all Christian |
work, and I felt that he was telling the |
truth, although I could not remember |
the sister, which was not strange, as I |
had assisted many in such ways His |
object in coming here was to get en- |
pIoyment He had many letters Of recon- |
mendation, some of which 1 read. One |
which he read to me was addressed to
one of our citizens who could give him |
no situation here, but offered him one in |
Montreal, which he could have by goinp |
at once. but he said that being detained |
in Portland he had spent more money |
than he expected and wished the loan Of |
five dollars that he might leave that day |
and thus avoid Sunday travelling and be |
ready to commence work on Monday |
I referred him to the YM.C. A.. but he |
had already applied there, and they felt |
they could not assist him as they were |
constantly having similar calls. T told |
him | could not advance him money |
from the Charities until his case was in |
vestigated, but as he said he would leave |
with me one of his most important let |