Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-03-16
OUR NEW YORK LETTER
COMMODORE GERRY'S SOCIETY vs..
THE STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES.

| COMMODOpr CEppv,c cOcirrv uo
| - ..
'rt ~ oONhO VI C0NNI Iho'
|
| some OF His Personal pccuIinrIties
The socie,>,. .ec,,s ,uJ the T,.
,,rt,,, u,,,r,. No., ,,,,,. ,,.,,.
| Wv"
|
| NEW YORK March IL rSrooi,l
Commodore tlbriduc ~ Gerrv has NOT
! rccn much i'm evidence ncre,,pnlI,. tbic
winter 50 far as tbr nc,ysrnn,rs arc CON.
ccrncd but his Society. for the prrvonti,n
of Cruelty to Children has
1t is claimed bv the state hoard Of cbori.
ties that inasmuch as this society receives
state funds and charitable contributions
to the extent of 500 600 "a year If is I'm
large measure subject to the direction Of
the board. Commodore Gerry, however
holds otherwise, and when the state hu0rd
attempted to inspect the building and
books of the society the commodore refused
latIy to allow anything to be seen. That
was some time last summer. and the state
| board instituted legal proceedings, which
the commodore fought vigorously.
| mandainus was granted 10 compel the in
| spectlon' Dut the commodore appealed
! from the court decision, and the appeal
mas not yet been decided Meantime the
! commodore has been striving for the pas
sage of Laws increasing the power Of the
| society ana decreasing the power Of the
state board.
Despite the Importance of Mr.. Gcrrv's
society not much public interest has been
manifested III the hght between him and
the state board but there Is good deal of
interest IN the row between the society
and Magistrate Pool Of the York willie po-
lice court Pool is the magistrate who
in January last declared that he would no
| longer allow witnesses TO be sworn by
Kissing the Bible in his court because Of
the invariably filthy condition of the book
after brief use and the consequent danger
OF disease to those who kiss it.
Picturesque Figure.
! MAGISTRATE Pool is one of this towns
| moro picturesque figures. but he is not in
| Commodore Gcrry's class in any sense
| Despite his eccentricitics. Commodore Ger.
| ry is a man Of real distinction. He is very
rich. his wealth being estimated at 500.
| 600. 600. He is blue blooded 10 the core
and is descended from ono of those who
| signed the Declaration of Iudenendcnco
| He is q society man with a his, : and bo
| spends rs much money in entertaining as
any other man in New York his outlaws
| in this direction being estimated fulIv IN
| equal those of the Astors. He is a lawyer
| and has the finest law library owned nv
| any individual in the -nited States But
though his Office is in Broadway. it is
not an imposing one. and There are few
signs there of devotion TO his nrofessio,
| A. u matter of fact. ho doesn'+ pro+apd -
practice law much. His time i complete.
" filled attending TO the affairs of his he
loved society and in finding out wovs
of spending money without katherine to
earn any. In religion he i Eui.coralian
The society for the Prevention NJ CrueI.
! " to Children was formed al mis- instion-
ton, and upon lines laid down Lv him H.
| is conducted ACCORDING, to rlIlcs as ,.igid ne
those which prevail in the British FOREIGN
| of its oueration is 50 elaborate tbo+ II - 81
| wonder that il doesn't sometimes broal,
! down altogcther II was started in 1874
and. although he was i'm MT its formation
| he took no acti part i'm its conduct t,utii
il had been RUNNING seven or civht vcnr.
! Down to that time if had NOT Announced -
much. but when he got hold of the lever
he made things hum. Agents were sent
throughout all tho city In search Of chill
drcn who were being badly treated They
were found by the hundreds. Nearly LOCO
men and women Were brought into the po-
lice courts within a conparat lively short
time for having abused their offspring
! Little tots who could scarcely tuddlc ON
their emaciated legs were rescued from the
paVCmpufS, where they had boon Spur IN