Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-04
CULPR|T IS NAMED
Sarah B. MacIay Accused as
D.A. R. EmbezZIer.
AMOUNT IS NOT KNOWN
Exposure Made to Protect Others
From Suspicion.
OFFENDER HAS DISAPPEARED
Mrs. j. G. Scott, President General,
Overrules Opposition to Public
ity, and Gives Out Facts.
OFFENDER HAS DISAPPEARED

Every regent of every chapter OF the
the following announcement from Mrs.
Matthew T. Scott. president general Of
the National Society:
Dear Madam Resent-In accordance
with the action taken by the national
board of management OF the National
Society, Daughters of the American Rev
olution. December S. 1909. it is my pain
full duty Thy their appointment TO in
form YOU of the discovery by the United
States post office officials of the employees
in the Offices of the socety-guiity Of
thefts of money, post Office orders. checks,
other tampering with mail Of the offices,
and other dishonest practices.
THE amount Of the defalcaton has
been greatly exaggerated. The sums
taken have been small, and while it is
impossible 10 make an exact estimate of
the loss to the society, it can scarcely run
up into the thousands. as has been af-
firmed.
Il regret with sorrow and humiliation
unspeakable that l am compelled, not
| withstanding. the anguish of crushed and
grief-stricken friends, to give the name OF
| this former and formerly trusted en-
| p)oye-our later curator, Miss Sarah B.
| Maclay.
| This statement is given-for one reason
among others-in order to clear all other
present or former employees in the Offices
| from all blame or suspicion of completely
! in this tragedy. which has brought with
| it so much of mingled shame, pity. indig-
nation and sorrow: and we cannot but
hope that some evidence of mental aner-
! ration may in part account for this first
| stain upon an hitherto unblemished es-
cutcheOn.
| JULIA G. SCOTT Mrs Matthew T.
Scott, President General, y. S. D. A. r.
How Offender Was Detected.
| Inquiry at the D. \. r. headquarters
I. today verifies the truth OF the shortage
J which has been a mystery in that Office
| for 80 many years. Miss Sarah B. Mac
lay, who had been an employee in the
society since it's founding. had always
! been so thoroughly trusted that when the
corresponding secretary Of eight years
ago, suspectiug that her mail was being
rif1ed, asked for private box her request
was refused by the board for the reason
that such permission would reflect upon
Miss Maclay.
For years the national board OF man
asement OF the organization has known
tthat money was being stolen by some one
in touch with the Washington Office,
| though the sum. it is now stated. did not
reach the rurnored amount. When Miss
Minnie Mickey OF Allentown, Pa, be-
| came the publisher of the society's maya
| zine, some months ago. che coon became
| so convinced that her letters were being
| continually robbed that she transferred
| her mail box to the boardroom OF the
! office in a spot where 1t could be seen
! from the windows Of a building opposite.
! The post office authorities were in
! formed OF her suspicious and action. de-
! tective was stationed in room in a
building across the street. With field
/ glass he saw Miss MacIay enter earlf
several mornings and take letters from
! !he box.
/ Decoy letters were, then mailed. Miss
| tIaclay it is declared. was caught in
| the act OF purioining them. Later she
! made confession, it is stated. to one
! OF the officials Of the D. A. R., in which
| she admitted she did not know how long
| she had been tampering with the mail
Culprit Has Disappeared.
| The amount stolen may never be known.
The culprit has disappeared and. it is
| ganization.
| In referring to the matter today, a
member connected with the Washington
/ headquarters spoke OF the suffering in
| fiicted upon an innocent and most beloved
| woman, now dead.
Miss Maclay' she said, would sit by
| and see that poor girls tears--but the
robberies continued"
1t is said that Mrs. Scott felt COM
PEELED, in spite Of the strongest influence,
to announce Miss Maciay as the culprit.
| because of the Ill effects the suspicion has
| had upon other innocent members of the
| society connected with the Washington
| headquarters.