New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-07-30
ADMITS GRAFT IN "FADS."
ONE AGENT NOT WORRIED
Declares Blackmdil Not Necessary
to Get Subscriptions.

AS District Attorney Jerome's men continue
their investigations into the operations Of the
two New-york weekltes which deal largely with
criticism OF society and with their projected
volumes on society. il seems more likely that
Able. OF Americas Smart Set" VIII not alone
face the bar OF justice on a matchmaking charge.
Several interesting witnesses have come forward
IN the last few days. and IL is not unlikely that
three and. possibly. four warrants. will be is
sued when Mr.. Jerome returns TO the city on
Monday. Mr. Kroters Investigations have
shown that Able is by no means the only solicit
tor for these alleged social volumes who has laid
himself liable 10 charges.
Yesterday afternoon a Tribune reporter had an
interview with one OF the solicitors for Amer
ita's Smart Set" who talked freely OF the
methods by which subscriptions were obtained.
He looked upon fl graft" but declared
that n was legitimate they proposed TO give
value received in publicity.
Getting out these society books is not new
game the newspapers seem 10 think" he said-
1T has been done for years I'm various parts OF
the country. Books have been issued on small
scale IN Baltimore. ST. Louis. Kansas City. Chi
cngo and many other places. telling about the
fashiona bles and people OF prominence New
York deserved finer books. and we simply raised
the ante ON the subscribers. That is what caused
the alarm and raised all the cry about graft
end blackmail
,Tads and Fancies' was the beginning Of the
business. Wooster succeeded In interesting Cole
ne Mann the owner OF Town Topics In the
scheme. and Fashionable folk tumbled over
themselves to get IN. The colonel was particu-
lar, and would not stand for every one. 1t was
not necessary To say anything about stories that
might be printed If the subscription was refused.
and suppressed if il was given. IL was a cinch
that Town Topics was not going 10 knock any
one who gave up 81 800 or $500 for a page or
two in this volume de lux. 'Fads and Fan
cies' was a success from the start, and it will
be a book worth havirg when il finally APP
pears
When Wooster finished with Colonel Mann
he looked abou. for me- fields. Many worthy
families had not been approached for the other
work Many others there were who would be
glad 10 be I'm a society book but who could not
afford 81 800. Accordingly Americas Smart Set
started. ana there every prospect of
success unit; thai banker Post kicked up this
mess. Don't think for a minute tina; we had
10 know story aboUC man a woman be-
fore they were asked for a subscription. Vanity
is almost as good a lever With those who are
the frlnges Of society. and subscriptions were
scaled TO meet their wants. Town Topics was
not back Of Americas Smart Set but We're
furnished with letters OF introduction on Town
Topics letter paper and people were left 10
draw their own conclusions. The paper had
made its pile on the big book but there were
men on the staff who wanted a finger in the pie.
The Society Editors Association was formed
10 HELP along these schemes 1t appealed par
ticularly 10 those who wanted 70 climb the lad
der, rich Westerners and new mlionaires from
Pittsburg. IL they stood i'm with the society
editors OF NeW-YOrk items about them would
receive more prominence they figured. OF
course. the society editors Of the daily papers
were not In this combination but most people
did not trouble ask about that.
Americas Foremost Families at 500 a
copy was third volume OF projected works
on society. II started by The New
Yorker. younger rival OF Town Topics and
like the others was doing very well when the
storm blew up. Criswell and Irving who own
The New Yorker could not be expected 10
Jet Town Topics and its followers get all this
easy money"
This young man did to be the least
nervous over the investigation of the District
attorney In most cases. he declared. they had
been scrupulOusly careful TO keep well within
the law. He ADDED that not one man I'm a hum
cree would expose himself for the PURPOSE Of
getting back q few hundred dollars In is likely
1hat MI. Jerome agrees with him on this latter
point after the difficulty he has found in getting
subscribers 10 go into detail regarding the cir
cumstances OF their contributions