The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-15
IN GaRB OF CHARITY.
Sunshine Legion Is Declared to Be
Huge Graft.


New York, March 15.-The Charity
Organization society of New York is
about to issue a general warning to ali
important charitable societies in the
United States against the Sunshine
legion" and its two publications, sun
shine and the Sunshine Journal.
The Charity Organization society has
been on the hunt for these people for
year. Now 1t has evidence in hand
ana is prepared TO move against Mrs
A M. 4ibbetts, the national presI-
dent Of the society, and her com
panlon Joseph w Floridy. the organ
izer and brains of the graft
These two-he-a. charitable worker
with a passion for diamonds as per
eonal adornmenfs. and she blonde
Of the peroxide type who is uplifting
the tenements-have been living in a
fiat in Jersey city and conducting a
graft which has run all through the
eastern states and through part Of the
middle west
1t is one of the cleverest. best or
ganized, and most far reaching taps on
charity that has ever come to the
notice Of the charity Organization So
ciety.
"Upiifted' Tenement Children.
To put it briefly Sunshine and the
Sunshine Journal were two papers adj
v0cating the uplifting" of tenement
house children. They are monthly
publications, made uD for the most
part of reprints from Sunday school
Weeklies. The Sunshine Legion pre-
tends to maintain in seven large cities
OF the United States settlements, day
nurseries, and employment agencies
for the children of the poor. To the
maintenance of these settlements the
proceeds OF the papers are supposed to
be devoted
AS a matter of fact. all the settle
r1ents' so FAR Investigated including
the two In Greater New York, were
IA af-
just enough to maintain a pretense-
Seldom were any children found in the
day nurseries. When children were
there they seemed to have been picked
up FOR the occasion. The employment
agencies, APPARENTLY. exist only FOR the
hiring Of solicitors for the publications.
Solicitors Are Young Girls.
The solicitors are mainly young girls.
They hunt subscribers for Sunshine at
a dollar year. Their pay is 80 per cent
Of the proceeds. This seems like
small return to the heads of the con-
Germ. but many a little makes
nickel" and as a. matter of fact state
ment by q deceived but honest manager
who ran the Philadelphia agency for q
month shows that it has been paying
business.
The solicitors represent their work as
a matter Of charity. For that reason
the business men, church workers, ana
charitable women who are approacleu
rarely want the paper, but they give Tor
charity Their gifts, too often exceed
the 81 subscription asked for Sunshine.
Fine stories drift down from up stare
about the conduct Of some Of the soIlcl-
tors Only Monday In New York, mats
at 1877 and 139 East ThirtSszthird street
were robbed of $4,000 worth OF JeWels
and toilet articles. Just before the ROB
berry q woman in a long red automoDhe
coat had called at all Of these fats So
netting for Sunshine" The police are
looking for her.
Started in Chicago.
Exposure of the doings of the sun
shine" people began about year ago
when the police Of Chicago began to
look UP operations Of Mrs violet
Jessie =shezbondys, who ran an tnsti7
tuition called the Sunshine society
and a paper called sunnyside.
Mrs. Sherbondy was tried and con
victed Late in the game she ad-
mitted the graft, but declared that she
had been arrested through the per-
secution Of J. w. Floridy.
Reports from other cities went to
show that all the branch Institutions
were run on the same principles as
the Chicago office. The work of get
ting dispositions as to character of the
home Office in Jersey City was passed
up to the Charity Organization so
ciety of New York. All this year that
society has been following the case.
adding to the dispositions taken In the
original trial
Christmas and Thanksgiving din
nerrs' and outings were part of
their programme as advertised in their
publications. These may have yielded
largely.
To a woman who had charge of the
day nursery" in Philadelphia Mrs.
Tibbets wrote that she was paying too
much for food. Buy a poorer quality
OF butter" said the letter.