The sun., 1909-05-26
ARREST JAMES ". MORRISSEY
POLICE ACT ON COMPLAINT or
JOE JEFFERSON'S son.
The Jefferson Monument Fund, for which
He Has Been Coileotins Money, Il tho
Troub,e-Cnarse Is Doins Business
as All Association without Registerins.

Trouble-Charse Is Doins Business
as All Association without ReSistcring.
James W. Morrissey. former theatrical
manager and more recently the 'manag-
ing director" of project to collect funds
for a monument to Joseph Jefferson, tho
actor, in Central Park. was arrested
yesterday afternoon at his home. 229 West
Eighty-third street. and was locked up
at Police Headquarters on charge OF
conducting a business or association at
that address called the Joseph Jefferson
Monument Association without fling the
proper certificate with the County Clerk.
The Monument Association" has had
rough time OF it, anyhow. Something
like two years ago Morrissey got from
Mrs. Joseph Jefferson. widow OF the actor.
letter on the strength of which he started
his enterprise. A woek or so afterward
Mrs. jefferson. who meanwhile had talked
the matter over with some friends, de-
cided that Morrissey's commission of
IS per cent. on all moneys collected was
, 100 steep dNtl tlliI u "Ouill Dc "CH. iOl
her to recall her letter But Norrissey de-
clined to give up tho letter ard went
ahead with the formation Of COMMITTEES,
some of the members OF which say that
they never knew that their names wers
being used ,--...
With the withdrawal Of their approval
by the jefferson family the project fell
upon evil times. and after the newspapers
had explained the circumstances nothing
much was heard Of the association. Re-
Gently. however, Thomas Jefferson, one
of the sons. has been receiving letters
asking him about the fund, and these
letters informed him that the assooia-
ton was not yet dead. On May Is MIR.
Jefferson callei on Police Commissioner
Bingham, and the Commissioner set Lieut..
B,rnev McConville to work. McConville
saw that a letter was sent to MIR. Norris
sey saying that the writer would like to
contribute something toward the build
ing of such a monument and received
reply. datci May Il, under the letter.
head of The Joseph Jefferson Monu-
ment Association for Peroetuating the
Memory and Art of Joseph jefferson.
James W. Morrissey. managing director;
Earl King. treasurer. 229 West Eighty
third street" The letter read:
Your Tctter received. Thank YOU This
letter head will, imag agine. give You the de-
sired Information Any mite in the way OF
a subscription will glndly he received at tho
above address and seats sent You when =
performance Is given. Faithfully youra
JAMES W. MoERlssEY,
Managing Director.
owhom checks may be sent)
In one corner Of the letter paper was
a list Of the board Of directors con-
tanning thirty-odd names, among them
Andrew Carnegie, Levi p. Morton. Corne-
lins n. Bliss. W. Bourke Cochran. John D
Crimmins. Daniel Frohman. Andreas.
Dippel. David Belasco, Harrison Grey
Fske, De Wolf Hopper and De Lancey
Nicoll. There also were these names
under the heading auxiliary committee:
Ellen Terry. Viola Allen and Margaret
Angln
Yesterday afternoon Lieuts, McConville
and Nelson dropped III on Morrissey,
The person at the door was doubtful
about his being in. but just then McCon-
vile saw him and remarked Hello.
Morrissey" Morrissey said that his name
WAS Jones" but when McConvile eS-
planned who he was Morrissey let him in.
Morrssev explained according to tho
detectives, that the association had been
compelled to give up office room down.
town in order to cut down expenses
As proof Of the legitimacy OF his enter
prise he produced Mrs. Jereson's old
letter-the one which she later tried to
get back-and according to the detec-
tives, salt when pressed as to his reasons
for continuing the project against the
will of the jefferson family that he had
suent between 500 and $500 of his own
money in getting the thing started and
that he intended to continue receiving
contributions until he had been reinI-
bursed He said that Earl King. manager
Of the Garden Theatre, was treasurer OF
the association and that Mr.. King had
financed concerts which had been given
for the benefit of the fund at Palm Beach,
Larchmont. Long Branch Lake George
and other places. Asked why he had
neither incorporated the association nor
registered it with the County Clerk
Morrissey said that he had not thought it
necessary
McConville has letter written 10y
Charles B. jefferson on April II. 1908. in
which Mr. jefferson says: Mrs. Joseph
jefferson is justified in withdrawing her
consent to anything further being done
by MIR. Morrissey. as do mine" Many
of the members of the board Of difec-
tors" have been communicated with and
Ihave replied something along the line OF
De Wolf Hopper who wrote: MIR. Nor
rissey has no earthly right to use my
name as director" Otis Skinner and
Harrison Grey Fiske were others who
said they had not given their consent
to the use of their names.
Morrissey was at one time the business
manager Of the Garden Theatre and the
Madison Square Garden, and also was
manager for Mme Modjeska, Emma
Abbott and Mary Anderson.
Morrissey was bailed out last night