Evening journal., 1908-03-07
TRIED TO GET MONEY
FROM ALFRED |. du POINT
He Gave $50 TO a Sup
posed REPORTERS Asso-
ciafion," but fhe Check
Fell into Other Hands
and Was Returned TO
Him

Approached III his Office by a we'll
dressed man in thee arly part of the
week, Alfred /. DUPONT. vice-president
of the DUPONT Powder Company, Of
this city, was induced BIZ the stranger
to donate $50 to an organization pre-
sumed to be the Reporters Association
of Philadelphia" Mr. DUPONT, how
ever, did NOT give the stranger the
money Immediately. but the next day
sent his contribution hy mail.
The solicitor gave the name Of
Waterbury, and said the Office Of the
Organization was in the Keith Build
ing. Philadelphia. To this address
Mr. DUPONT sent his check, but on
Thursday it was returned to him.
The letter bearing the check had been
delivered to Secretary McCready Of the
Sporting Writer'S Association. the only
organization Of newspaper men with
headquarters in the Keith Building. He
was much surprised t. hear that there
was another journalists club in Phil
adelphia, and as Il was the first lie
had heard of the organization he
thought the matter would bear an jn-
vestigation.
Lewis Mclaughlin, assistant city
editor of the Evening Bulletin. was
given the task to ocate the new news
paper mems club. but he could gain
no information concerning II nor could
he find anybody among the many
newspaper men of Philadelphia that
knew anything about the association" I"
II was then decided to return the
check to Mr.. dupont. explaining the
circumstances surrounding the case.
and this was done yesterday. Shortly
before noon. Thursday man from
Philadelphia called Mr.. DUPONT by tele.
phone and requested that he send the
check intended for 1.-The Reporters As
socaition Of Philadelphia" to No. 1902
Real Estate Trust Building, Philadel-
phia. This individual. who gave the
name of "Kugler," said that Water
bury was an accredited solicitor Tor
the club and he gave the reason for
having the check sent to the address
other than the one given by Waterbury
was because the rooms Of the 'associa-
ton" in the Keith Building were just
being prepared for occupancy and car
penters were now at work. The tele-
phone was answered bv Mr.. duPonts s
secretary. who told the Philadelphia
caelr to call again at 1 o'clock in the
Afternoon. at which time Mr. dupont
would be in his Office.
The stranger when he entered the
office Of Mr.. DUPONT. after introducing
himself. produced a. blank form con-
taining the following:
'The Reporters Association, Phila-
deiphia, Pa The Executive Committee
Reporters Association. take pleasure
in accepting the nomination of your
committee to become q charter patron
Of the Reporters Association and here
with hand my check for .......... dol
lars. to be applied toward Hefraying
the expenses of establishing a general
reading room and reference library for
the reporters Of Philadelphia and visit
ing newspaper men.
"Nape, ................
Address ............."
Philadelphia newspaper men say that
there Is no such reporters club and
that similar scheme was worked in
New York recently and led to the ar
rest of the persons implicated. No
Iuhds are DtlhB soiiciteu ny ihliduei-
phia newspaper men for any such pur-
pose. The only organizations of this
kindein Philadelphia are the Women s
Press Club and the Pen and Pencil
Club, neither of which is soliciting
funds
The man who gives the name OF
Kugler again called up Mr.. duPonts
office from Philadelphia today, and
made inquiries concerning the check
He was told that it had been sent
today and he was profuse in his thanks
He said he was anxious to get the
check as he desired TO prepare the
associations annual report.