The Portland daily press., 1896-11-21
BOWERS FOR ORPHAN GIRLS.
Unique Idea of New York Philan-
thr0pist.

thrOpist.
worthy Girls Who Marry Worthy Men
VIII Receive Substantial Aid,
New York Times.)
Tho completion of the organization OF
the Greater New-York German Orphan
Dowry Society will mark the establish
p,ent Of unique charity based on novel
lines.
The purpose of this society Is to pro-
tsct poor German orphan girls from the
vices and temptations to which go many
of them are exposed In great city, and
further to present each Of them who
proves worthy with sum Of money RS
dover upon her marriage to a man who
also has been found honest and trust
worthy. The founder is Lazarus Nor
ganthau, wealthy citizen of New York,
who. though unostentatious. is known
to many benedciaries as a great philan-
thropist,
The society of which the motto 10
"Charity, Tolerance, Generosity" in
making these gifts of dover is not to be
restricted to inmates or former inmates
of orphan asylums, but any parentless
girl filling the requirements ns to char
acter will be eligible, without regard to
creed. Already the bylaws and regu-
lations of the society have been compiled
by the founder. and they will be made
public as soon as they have bean sub
United to and passed upon by the selected
Up embers of the Board of Directors.
These bylaws have been drawn after
careful study, and are based on Mr..
Morgenthau's experience of thirty years
or more. Any suggestions will be appre-
plated by him. The names of the men,
beFs of the Board of Directors will also
be made public as soon as they have
duly taken office.
TO ARRANGE FOUR WEDDINGS.
1t is the purpose of the founder that
the Initiation of the society shall be cele-
hrated on Washington's Birthday, Feb.
20. 1897, with the public marriage at
some suitable places of four orphans, one
Protestant, one Catholic. one Freema-
sons daughter, and one Jewess. each of
whom shall receive 500 in gold imme-
diately after the ceremony. Thereafter
the marriages will take place at the rate,
for the present, of sixteen a year, four
ut a time. on Washington's Birthd ay,
and also on the anniversaries of birth
lays of the late Mrs. Oswald Ottendorfer,
Jesse Seligman. and Ernst Possart. Mr..
Possart Is the Director Of the Royal Court
Theatre, in Munich, and by his rendition
Of "Nathan der Weise" he suggested to
Mr.. Morgenthau in part the idea of the
bociety. He afterv ard urged Mr..
Gorgsnthau to carry out the idea.
A society with similar aims, but more
limited scope, was founded by Mr.. Nor
eenthau. Feb. 1s, 1874, the date of the
marriage Of his daughter Ida to William
]. Enrich. This first society, however.
was for the benefit of Hebrew orphan
girls only. The enthusiasm which it
aroused manifested itself principally. &C.
cording to Mr.. Morgenthau, in fine ora
tory at the meetings of the Directors,
Ind. enoountering numerous difficulties
and having to bear the responsibilities
slone, he was compelled reluctantly to
abandon the scheme. During it's exist
enoe of twenty months, however. it pre-
scented ten orphan girls with gifts of
money at their marriage.
The new society will have Directory
Board of 300 members of whom 100 will
be Christians and 100 Hebrews. The
marriage in each case will be public, and
a civil ceremony on one of the four days
named. ANY kind of religious cure-
mopy desired by the principals may be
gone through with, either before or after
the public wedding, but on the same
day.
MAY PICK THEIR HUSBANDS.
Z The society In no Case will exercise any
Authority in the choice of the husband,
further than to require that he be
worthy. The bride will do her own
choosing.
From assurances already received from
mon Of means, Mr.. Morgenthau believes
shat the number per year endowed or
phan brides may soon be increased. az
may also the amount of endow ment, and
be considers that in a few years the So
ciety will possess fund of at least q
million dollars. The following institu-
tions have already been notified of the
movement and requested to select suit
able applicants for the society's care
81. Joseph's Orphan Asylum, New York
German Protestant Orphan Asylum,
Mount Vernon; Hebrew Benevolent and
Orphan Asylum Society, New YORK.; He
brew Sheltering Guardian Society. New
York; German Catholic Orphan Asy-
lum, Brooklyn; Hebrew Orphan Asy-
lam Society, Brooklyn.
Personally Mr.. Morgenthau Is an IN
teresMng man. he is 81 yoars of age
having been born at KlienwaIlstadt,
Bavaria, in 1916. He is hearty and ro
bust; and of striking appearance. He
u filed with an enthusiasm for this
1den. He feels that its purpose will ap-
peal to people of all oreeds and to hu-