New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-07-14
W. D. MANN ANGRY.
WILL PROSECUTE 4HLE.
There Nag Be Another Complainant
Who Paid His $500.

A new possible complainant against Charles H.
Ahle the prisoner the Tonbs whose examina-
ton on the charge Of attempted extortion is set
for IL a, m. to-day, communicated yesterday with
Paul Krotel Mir. Jerome's deputy. who has charge
Of Ahle's While the OF the new COM
planant not disclosed Mr.. Krotel said he was
prominent musician of the city. According to
the story he told. he approached much as was
Edwin NJ. Post whose complaint Able was
arrested. Unlike Mr.. Post. the musician decided
it better to pay $500 for a substitution to
Americas Smart Set" than have a disagreeable
story about him published
While all the details Of the were not made
known TO Mr.. hrotel yesterday. enough was told
to make 1t clear that the canvasser the costly
book went TO the musician told him that
Town Topics had ready for publication the story
Of a scandal about. him, but that the publication
would be stopped if the musician would subscribe
for the book TO be brought out by the Society
Editors Association, of which Charles s Wavne
Editor Of Town Topics" was also the chief edi
tor. The musician said he was not sure that the
man who approached him and obtained his $500
was Ahie and he asked that photograph of the
man in the Tombs be shown to him. Mr. KroteI
arranged TO have photograph sent to the musi-
clan.
Mr. Krotel yesterday had before him as witnesses
NJ. K. Wooster. the originator of Americas Smart
Set and the manager OF, the Society Editors Asso-
citation. together with William NJ Daniels the asso-
cations treasurer. 1t explained by them that
the idea of publishing book cost each sub
scTlbed $500 was original with Wooster who had
been successful in his earlier plan publica
ton by Town Topics of "Fads and Fancies
which cost each subscriber $500 Wooster said he
had contract for the subscriptions to 'F'ads and
Fancies by which he received 30 per cent of the
amount of the subscriptions. There were 100 sub
scribers he said, and he received $4,000 The re-
naming $4,000, he said, had been divided among
w. d. Mann. Justice Joseph NJ. Deuel., of the Court
OF Special Sessions. and The Town Topics Com
pany. The subscriptions. Wooster said, were paid
in more than two years ago, but the book had
been published vest
Wooster said ne had organized the Society
Editors Association in 1904: that it had not been
incorporated in spite of the requirement of the
law that such associations must be Incorporated
within thirty days of their Formation and in viola
ton OF Section 1853 Of the Penal Code, making it
mlSdemeanor not to comply with such regulation
At first Wooster was the whole concern, but in
July. 1904. he took in Wayne. Wooster said that
he himself got the first ten fifteen subscriptions
Tor the Smart Set but later had employed as
solicitors L. NJ. Morris and Walter Gage and an
other man in Chocago, who was DISCHARGED for
alleged crookedness
wooster said that recently Able had been the
only solicitor. He said the subscriptions had al
ready brought in more than $4,000, of which
wayne got 10 per cent. At the time of his en-
pIoyment Able received 25 per cent commission
on SUBSCRIPTIONS. which was later raised nv
wooster TO 80 per cent and again to 40 per cent
The concern banked with the Windsor Trust Com
hal lie
got as high as $500 for subscription but that
he was permitted to charge 81 900 in some cases
the inducement being the publication of the picture
OF the subscriber. of his horses or his auton1o-
bile, or something of the sort. Wooster promised
! TO produce all the books and papers of the con-
Germ at the request of Mr.. Krotel and to show all
! disbursements
Daniels told Mr.. Krotel that treasurer he
had no interest in the other than that he
| advanced SLO00 to put the deal on its feet for
he was IN pet ho-1y,S z 50A
| He said that the $1,000 had been returned to him
| and that OF the bonus he had received 1890.
| When the $40 remaining was paid he was to sever
| his connection with the scheme.
| Town Topics" yesterday published a signed
statement by its publisher. ". d. Mann. sent by
cable from London, IN part as follows:
l wish to denounce with all the emphasis of
which am capable the action of the book can
attempted extortion That he used the name of
| Town Topics" in this connection 1 need hardly
say was utterly and absolutely without warrant.
LoWn Ioples Is not IN any way Interested in the
everything in its power to bring to speedy justice
can be proved TO be connected with this outrage.
Justice Deuel. who is a stakeholder and director
| OF Town Topics said last evening that he had
not received penny of the subscriptions to Pads
and Fancies, and he thought there would be little
proht TO divide since about one-half of the sub
sGlipuons nad gone 70 wooster and the printing
rest, he thought. Each copy he said would be
illustrated by hand drawings on every page and as
the Town Topics company had to paw all the
expenses Of getting out the work it might not be
a paying venture FOR the company. The work
the book, ne said, had been going steadily for
more than two years, and the copies probably
would be ready for distribution to the subscribers
in about a month.
Only the copies actually subscribed for would be
printed. he said, with the exception Of copies
FOR the Congressional Library, one copy for the
New-Hork Public Library copy for the British
Museum and one for the files of Town Topics
would be destroyed.
Mr.. Krotel yesterday failed to get into communi-
cation with any more of the wealthy and we'll
known persons whose names were the list found
| IN Ahle'S pocket subscribers "America's
Smart Set" He said thev all out of town
and could not be served with subpnnas