The sun., 1905-08-02
REPORTERS ASS'NOP AMERICA
O'BRlENS CONCERN ASKS FOR
i CHECKS FOR A HOSPITAL BED.

Gets Some. Too Cemmissioner Best Gets
= Ono Of the Lsttcrs and Makes Inquiry
-. THO Concern Does Not Represent
the Rep0rters of New Yerk CITY.
James p. o'Brisn, who described himself
~ manager Of 'The Reporters Association
of America" has been writing letters re-
Gently to prominent mon In business and
public life asking them to subscribe for
bod Ia 81. Vincent's Hospital to be for the
use OF those who work on newspapers.
The letters have borne the heading: "The
Reporters Association Of America Qn-
corpofated), James P. O'Brien, manag ger.
Up In one corner is printed, "The Public
Inspector
This IL q sample Of the letters:
July 20. 1905. 1850 A. NJ.
Ceoroe Best ESQ. Conn ID ssi0ner OF BrtdQes:
My DEAR SIR: One Of our representatives
called on you and failed to find you In. The
object OF his call was to try and get you to
! contribute toward the special bed we are
making an effort to place at st. Vincents
Hospital, to be used by sick and Injured
newspaper men. The price 10 10 be u 600.
and the bed to be there for life. We have
selected nifty men whom we are appealing
10 for q contribution Of 500 each, to place
the bed there. The object Is q worthy one
and we would like to have you contribute.
You can make your check payable to the
Reporters Association Of America. above
address, or to Sister Gonzaga. who Ia In charge
OF st. vncent's Hospital. We will aoknow-
ledge same in the columns Of the Public In
spector, II you desire.
Hoping you will favor US, allow us to re-
main yours sincerely.
TIE RRpoHrBps ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA,
Per JAMES p O'BRIEN, Manager,
Dictated.
Bridge Commissioner Best, who got this
letter, knows a good many reporters and
decided not to send the 500 until he had
learned more about the -Reportefp' AssQcaa-
ton Of America" Tho concern has odtces
on tho fourteenth door Of the Whitehall
Building but Mr.. OBrien, who iuns the
Public Inspeo0r wasn't mt II ny yestSendss srs Sssn ss
sociated with him. His is tho only name
appearing on the door. Inside there is .
large room furnished with mahogany and
rugs. A young woman at the typewriter
said Mr.. oBrten vas ta the only one Ito, TO ass 81
would be in. He Was q very busy man.
Sister Gonzaga at st. vinoent's Hospital.
hss received two checks already for the bed
Tor newspaper men. She has also received
over the msny ImeTioa
which she couldn't answer because Mr.
O'Brien hadn't supplied her with any in
formation ..tr
.Mr. OBien," said she. came here .
month ago or more and said no was the
manager OF an association made up q az
the reporters here and Ia other parts OF the
country. He said that the association
wanted to have a bed here aud some OF the
checks might be sent to me. Nearly al
ways-a committee comes here Tor vuoh
purpose. but Mr.. Bryan came here alone.
He didn't give any references, but q httie
The checks had been made payable to me.
but had been smt TO Mr.. O'Brien. One
was from former Superintendent Byrnes
and the otser was from the contractor who
h building the dcition to the hospital
Mr. Bymes's check was for SD9 and think
the other was for $50. Mr.. O'Brien told me
he expected to get checks from lot Of
other men. So many people have been
calling up here to ask me about tpthat !!
really would like to ask about II myself
SOW, although. Of course. l supposed that
the reporters knew all about it,"
Superintendent Byrnes was out OF town l,
whether he subscribed Under the i'm
precision that the co6oen was an associa-
tion OF the New York newspaper reporters.
which II isn't The reporters OF this town
working on newspapers have not combined
to beg for any purpose whatever, even
Tho Psblic Inspector In which Mr.. OBrien
offered to acknowledge subscriptions, Ii
q paper started by him some months ago
It's first number contained pictures Of the
Slocum and the Iroquois Theater fires
Undernea!h it was; Our aim is to Pre-
vent this"
Afterward there appeared list OF steam.
boats and theaters, with the announcement
that tho Public Inspectcr could recommend
them as being safe.