The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-20
PATRIOTISM
As A BLIND
FOR FRAUD
Relief Society Said to
Be Dishonest.
USES THE RED CROSS NAME
CLAIMS TO GIVE MONEY TO
THAT ORGANIZATION.
The Ladies Deny That They Have
Received Funds and Warn
Against the Chain
Letter.
USES THE RED CROSS NAME
CLAIMS TO GIVE MONEY TO
THAT ORGANIZATION.

The American Soldiers Relief Society
has instituted a chain of letters which
should il remain unbroken would bankrupt
the world long before il could be carried
TO the point its instigators have set for
a finish. The money to be derived
in this manner the officers Of the society
claim they are to turn over to the Red
Cross, and the president and secretary
stated yesterday that they had already
donated a small amount to the cause
Prominent officers of the Red Cross deny
that any money has been received from
the Relief Society, and they further state
1t Is their belief that the organization is
a fraud.
The chain" letter from the Relief So
ciety, which Is given in another place,
has been sent all over the city and State.
yet it is claimed by DR.. w. G. Sylvester
and ". h. Hollis, the president and secre-
tary OF the society, that but siXty-five
letters inclosing the 10 cents have been re-
ceived up to date I'VE instituted the
chain about month ago" said Dr..
sylvester, and expected to secure con-
siderable money for the soldier fund, but
have scarcely received any. Our society
was organized early in June and was in
tended Tor some of us who could not give
as much as was required of members of
the Red Cross. The membership at pres
ent is about fifty. Each member pledges
himself 10 pay certain amount monthly,
and up to the present time we have
turned over about $50 of these SubScrip-
tons and 50 80 secured from our chain to
the Red Cross Society. We have about 50
more from the letters on hand and some
more from subscriptions. This will be
given to the ladies later. The highest
letter Yet received is one No. 9, which
should have netted US $1,000 or $1,000 but
the chain has probably been broken"
\ number of chain letters have been
received in this city from other parties
besides the Relief Society and the preva-
lence OF them caused an investigation to
De made An interview with Mrs. J. F.
Merrill brought to light the fact that the
American Relief Society was not known
by the Red Cross ladies. Mrs Merrill
said: LAS far as know there have been
no donations TO the city fund from any
such organization Several people have
been TO see me in regard to the chain
letters, and l have told them 1 know
nothing about the organization. l had
not heard before that the society claimed
to be turning its funds into our treasury
and shall surely make an investigation
of the matter. l have received no less
than four chain letters-three from
New York and one from Wisconsin One
and, New York. and the money is to be
sent to a Miss Nathalie Schenk. The
letter purports to come from the Ice
Plant Auxiliary Of the Red Cross and the
Another is to procure money for the hos
pital ship. All l have received was re-
turned TO the writer with note, saying
the hospital ship and supplies would be
furnished by the Government when need
ed. All who have asked me in regard to
these letters, which may be in good faith,
! have told that the Red Cross Society
did not recognize them
Mrs. w. 3. Harrington, the State presi-
dent, also denied all knowledge of the
American Soldiers Relief Society. She
said: Il have never heard of any money
being given to our society by this organ
ization, and while 1 have not the books
with me 1 feel justified in saying that
had we received any such money l would
have known of it. If the society is a
fraud l sincerely hope it will be dealt
with harshly."
The State treasurer, Mrs. Edwin Di-
mond stated: The State organization of
the Red Cross Society has received no
money from any society in the city and
from very few persons. We always refer