New-York tribune., 1912-02-28
SAY He FLEECED ITALIANS.
Head of U. S. Constitutional Club
Arrested" "Helped immigrants"
JoBS PROMISED MEMBERS
Judge Hand Regrets Letter in
Which He Approved the
Objects of the Club.

In the arrest Of Frank Perrone De Sellia-
rresident and factotum of the United
States Constitutional Club. Of No. 429 East
fHh street, the police now think they have
caught the archenemy Of ignorant Italian
Immigrants De Sella was arrested on the
complaint OF Herman Robinson, Commits
sjoner Of Licenses, who accused him before
Magistrate Appleton. in Yorkville Court. OF
running an employment agency without
license.
Magistrate Appleton released the man in
,5Oo bail for trial on q misdemeanor In
snecial Sessions In the mean time the
Postofice inspectors. the federal District
Attorneys office. the Naturalization Ex-
aminers' Bureau, the North American
Civic League for Immigrants, the State De-
partment Of Labor and the police are IN
vestigating his club to find out to what
extent the hundreds Of ignorant Italians
and Sicilians who Joined 1t were deceived
into paving the dues called for In its
charter.
At the Office of the Commissioner OF
Licenses. No. 27 Broadway, it was learned
yesterday that De Sellia had applied there
for an employment agency license Oh May
"A. 1911. and that his application was for
rnaIy refused on June ). 1911 IT was short
-Iy after this that he obtained charter
from the state for the United States Con-
SsItutional Club as a membership corpora
sion. membership being restricted TO ltal-
ians "of good moral character VINO IN
tend to become citizens of the Jnteu
States. An initiation fee of 81 to SS was
charged, and in addition dues of from 81 10
81 80 a month, the expressed objects or the
club being to help immigrants TO an under
standing Of American Institutions ana 10
aid them In filing naturalization papers.
De Sellla issued little booklet setting
forth these objects and containing, besides
a number of highly moral and patriotic
sentiments, a photograph Of himself In
s,iniforr, similar 70 that of a police lieu-
stensnt. but with the letters L. S. sur
mounting the national coat Of arms Just
above the visor of his cap, and with
L. S. embroidered on each side Of his col
lar Fer 25 cents the new member obtained
one of these booklets, which served him as
an identification card, and copy OF the
clubs bylaws.
De Sellia distributed these booklets
broadcast among prominent men and or
ganizations in the city, seeking notes in
return approving his organization. Judge
Learned Hand, Of the United States Dis
trjct Court. was one of the few who re-
plied Judge Hand wrote De Sellia very
brief little note telling him that he ap-
provsd Of the sentiments expressed in the
tS50kIet and of the objects of his club.
Tie Judge said yesterday that he was
extremely sorry he had written this LETTER
without further Investigation Of the Con-
stitutional Club and its president-that he
considered himself very "green" to have
responded so readily 10 this apparently
public spirited and philarthropic plea for
an Endorsement.
De Sellia used Judge Hands letter with
great effect among his newly arrived
countrymen. number Of his alleged VIC
Tins. in an examination before the Com
missioner OF Licenses, testified, It is said
that he promised them jobs in the Street
Cleaning Department II they would join
his club, and that the promise OF Jobs OF
one kind or another was the real bait with
which ne nshed for membership
These men are also quoted as saying
that Dc Sellia promised TO make them citi-
zens in fifteen days: that he told them he
was q much more important parsonage in
municipal affairs than Mayor Gaynor, and
in the nation ranked with President Taft.
They estimated that a thousand immi-
grants had joined the Constitutional Club
since last September on the strength Of
these promises. II was said at the De-
partment Of Licenses, however, that not
one OF them had obtained Job through
De Sellla.
The Constitutional Club issued sick and
death benefits according to its bylaws and
tho members were bound to chip in 500
as o funeral fund 10 pay the burial ex-
penses of members OF more than a years
standing. Tho president has also started
a TripoH fund. for the benefit of the
Italian soldiers slain in Africa, and so
far It IS said, has collected $3.50 in pay
ment for tickets 90 O benefit ball scheduled
for the evening OF March II I'm Tammany
Hall
One Of the bylaws Of the club provided
that ell those members bringing in the
greatest number Of new members should
be mad. officers, and another that mem
bers who were property holders should go
bail for fellow members IN trouble, "after
Bearing the final opinion Of the president
OF the club"
De Sellias wife. Mrs. Fannie De Sellia,
has been general manager" Of the club.
Since his arrest De Sellia has insisted that
she was the president. His case, Il is eX-
pected, win be reached in three weeks in
Suaoiaf Gnsgfone