The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1909-02-13

Alfred Tennyson Rowe, the young
lei gal adviser to "Mr. Smith," owner Of
the Gas Consumers Audit Company.
OF No. &5 Broadway, was formerly
chief counsel in tho Business Mems
Protective Company Of the United
States" with offices until recently at
No, 1873 Broadway.
The Evening World received many
telephone messages to-day from physl.
clans and dentists, all subscribers to
Mr., Rowe's other organization In sums
ranging from 81 to $40 each.
| Like the subscribers to Mr. Smlth'J'
| Gas Consumers Audit Company, who
got the impression somehow that they
were dealing with q concern authorized
by United States Commissioner John
A Shields, the patrons Of Mr.. Rowe
collection agency got the Impression
that their $3.50 annual subscription, In
Guided initial court costs where judg.
ments were sought.
was mlsrePrescnteu'
In all instances Mr.. Rowe appears TO
have been most distressingly misrepre-
sented to his clients" BY the horde Of
canvassers employed to drum UP bust.
ness for each concern. Mr.. Rowe had
Mr.. Smith" tell The Evening World
that any agent who used Commissioner
Shields's name did so on his own author
ity. AS for the complaints from sub.
scribers to the Business Mems Pro.
lection Company Mr.. Rowe was put to
some annoyance.
During the Summer Of 1907 an agent
from Mr.. Rowe collected $3.50 from me
for membership in the protective COM
pany," said a physician practising on
| Alexander avenue. near East One Hun
dred and Thirty-elghth street, to-day.
/ There were about forty OF US doctors
OF the agents attractive offer. l never
got one thing for my money and com.
planned to Mr.. Rowe. A few days after
wards / was amazed at being sub.
poenaed to appear before magistrate
| Nahle in jefferson Market Police Court,
| Mr. Rowe was on hand to welcome me
and two other Bronx physicians He
wanted us to Gee II we could identify
| two men whom We had never seen be.
| fore as the agents who had got our
money. OF course the men were dis,
charged in court. and all Of US doctors
| went home amazed at the trick which
lad been played upon US"
Another Bronx physician. who prac.
tises in East One Hundred and Forty
first street, near Willis avenue. made
| this statemnt to an Evening World re
porter:
When Mr. Rowe's agent. whose
called Mt my office, he told In glowing
terms OF Mr.. Rowe's ability; how the
s. 80 subscriptions made UP a legal fund
10 be used with discretion In suit,
against delinquent patients. in such In.
stances only as where judgment would
be good. and there We're no court costs
OF any kind to fall on me. This latter
pledge made the proposition most allur-
ing. In return the company was to get
q per cent of all collections made.
ITO be sure that I was not dealing
With an lmposter | called up Mr.. Rowe
on the telephone.
Told az Was All Right"
His number wa. then lles Cor.land,.
A man who said lie was Rowe replied,
1t Is all right. / am behind the agent.
He 10 one Of my mon
Some days later number of Vi
Bronx physicians sent n batch Of bills
down 10 Mr.. Rowe for him to start
suits upon. We woro notified to send
down Is for each case for court costs,
Mr.. Rowo declared that his agents
had pledged cour, costs on their own
authority, just as ho Is now blaming
them for saying they arc from Commls-
sioner Shields.
Il put Mr.. Rowe down as a very
smart young man at tho time, and
am not surprised to rind hin tne brains
OF the Gas Consumers Audit Com
pany."
Any number Of Manhattan physician.
admit subscribing 10 Mr. Rowe's BUS.
ness Mems Protective Company" anc
for which money they did not get value
received.
Only short time ago the Business
MEMS Protective Company droppeC
out ot sight and Mr.. Rowe moved into
his present quarters a. No, s55 Bread
way, where bloomed the 1as Consym
-rs Audi. Company, also The New
York Credit Guide Company, publisher
NJ tho New Work Credit dude, a uni
versnl rating book for Greater New
York.
Mr. nowss name does not anna,
upon the stationary and lilssatufS d
Sc Newer seNasPn