The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-05
Posing as Carnegie's Agent, He In
duces Educators to Make Long
Trip to Meet Him.
PROMISES BIG ENDOWNMENTS.
Officials of Seven Kentucky
Schools, After Failing to Find
A. A. Frank, Resort to Ruse
to Hide Hoax.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Cincinnati. O., July 4.-Cleverly enticed by
letters purperttng to announce Andrew Car
negies purpose to give substantial finan-
cial aid to tho colleges Of Kentucky. score
or more Of educators of that State. repre-
senting seven institutions. came eagerly
and hungrily to this city Tuesday, only to
discover that they had been the victims
Of a remarkable hoax.
Solemnly they walked by twos and threes
into the lobby Of the Grand Hotel and
asked for "A. A. Frank" whose name was
signed to the letter of invitation.
The air of mystery was thick about the
place. Probably 1t was the thicker because
the college friends and trustees were each
intent on thinking how he might assure
himself Of good portion of the Carnegie
munifcence.
This was the letter that drew them:
Grand Hotel Cincinnati. o.. June Is, 1893.
My Dear Sir: 1t is the intention of Mr..
Carnegie to render aid to several inSItu-
tons of learning in the State of Kentucky
1t is his desire, however, to be spared from
a deluge of applications. He. therefore has
commissioned me to make careful inves-
tigation into educational conditions obtain
ing in your State. ! have done this Work
and from my report he has selected few
institutions as tho objects of his munifi-
cence. Your institution is among this NUM-
Der.
IN order that you may receive the
amount of money which he proposed to do
nate to your endowment funds. and for that
purpose only you will please meet me in
Cincinnati on Tues lay, June 90 at II
o'clock / will be at the Grand Hotel. AS
there are important papers to be prepared
and certain conditions that must be clearly
understood. 1 would suggest that you come
as wen to bring with you. in addition, to
him, several members of your Board OF
Trustees. 1 have the honor to be. xsry re-
Among those who answered in person
were the Reverend Doctor w. C. Roberts.
president of Central University; and
Welsh Welsh and Cheek Of the trustees; EuTfis !.
Jenkins, president of Kentucky UNIVERSE
ty. and Messrs. Cox and Vance. trustees;
tor Best of Millersburg Military Academy.
Doctor Hughes of Holiness College. VIII
more; Doctor Weber of Kentucky Wesleyan:
John W. Yerkes. Commissioner of Internal
Revenue. and other notables.
Noon came. but no "A. A. Frank. whom
previous pressing inquiries had shown to
be unknown tH the hotel people hoax
The whisper went around .,, that there was
no such person as "Mr Frank" Heads
tabooed. To give time to think over the
matter and frame some excuse for having
come to the city, luncheon was proposed.
the visitors entering the dining-room singly
and In pairs.
During the meal plan of descending was
formed. A meeting was called to organize
a "State intercollegiate association to adj
vance the cause of education After APP
pointing committee to draft constitution
the meeting adjourned and the members
dispersed to their various seats of learn
ing.
Some were too angry to discuss the hoax,
but threatened punishment to the cause Of
their fruitless journey. Others were dis
posed to laugh.
All admitted in private that 1t was the
neatest joke ever perpetrated on hopeful
company of educators.
Investigation shows that the author Of the
hoax is q clergyman and the head of one
of Kentuclsy's educational institutions. The
hotel stenographer identified him as the
man who dictated the seductive letters to
her. When spoken to he showed embar-
rassment and declared that he. too. had re-
ceived an invitation. He is believed TO be
temporarily unbalanced and there is no
likelihood of any action AGAINST him