The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-09
GOTHAM GRAFT EXPOSURES
ARE QUE TO WOMEN
Continued From First Page. }

| Mt UUt III uUW[W
Continued From First Page.)
az to police protection and graft to
light.
] Many OF these facts have since been
| brought to bear in aiding Mr.. Whit
man in his investigation. More are
being handed to him constantly. 1t
! was in consequence of the movement
/ started by Mrs. Scheffelin that the
! revelations AS to Burns success In
! trapping police GSafters through an
alleged disorderly house were brought
out Burns Is constantly reporting
/ to MIR. Schieffelin. who in turn is lay
| ing the information before the dis
! trict attorney. A select committee
of wealthy men has been organized,
4 whose names have been kept secret
/ who have been contributing the funds
| with which to keep Burns going. MIR
/ Schieffetn is the treasurer Of this
! fund. Before the work is at an end
I not only Will the graft situation in
the police department be fully ex-
posed, but startling facts as to graft
ing in the other city departments will
( have been brought out, and the way
will have been paved for a general
and thorough civic house cleaning.
All Due to n woman.
And when all has been done. it
| Will be owing to the incentive of d
woman-Mrs. Schieffelin-that the
enormous task has been carried
through.
These facts as to the starting point
I of the present uprising against COR
! rupt city government came into the
possession of the International News
Service today from an absolutely re
liable source. The narrative SHOWS
not only how Mrs, Scheffelin set to
work. but deals with the activity of
John II. Rockefeller. Jr.. in the case
and the part he has played in bring
| ing the situation to it's present IN
| teresting point.
Members of the -Four Hundred"
leaders Of the highest. as well as the
lowest society circles of New York.
were the objects Of the campaign of
! investigation started by Detective Will
liam J. Burns into the gambling and
| disordarly houses of the Fenderioin
| nearly year ago. a committee of
! prominent citizens financed Burns
work and 1t was done thoroughly,
with the result that Burns now has a
long list Of prominent men and wo-
men, whose regulations have been
above reproach but who he charges
with being the owners Of the property
used for vicious purposes in the an
derworld
Woman Starts Investigation.
Mrs. Schieffelin, who is a daughter
of the late Elliot r. Shepherd, mas
been deeply interested for long time
in the work of the social settlements
on the East Side and has been the
principal though silent hacker of seN-
eral of the settlement houses. Her in
terest in social reform has hrought
her face 10 face with the eNiis If
graft and protection in many in
stances The completely of the police
and other officials In these evils de-
termiued her to launch a movement
which would break up the union be-
tween vice and police.
Her husband. William Jay Scheffel-
/ in was first consulted, aud then
conference OF half dozen citizens.
including Colonel Roosevelt was held
at the Schienelin home. William J.
Burns was called in, and told that
} complete investigation Of the entire
city government was wanted. He out
lined the expense and was told To go
, to work. MIR. Schienelin was named
. as the man to whom the detective
, was to report Burns went TO work.
, and al the time that Herman Rosen
: thai presented his complaint to Dis
trict Attorney Whitman, Mr. Schtefe-
, lin had a mass OF startling inforna-
, ton.
Whitman Accepts Offer.
On the night of the day of Rosea-
thals complaint. another meeting vas
. held in the Schi-ffelin mansion. AS
result Mr.. Schieffeiin laid all the
, | evidence IN hand before the district
/, attorney next day, saying. Il repre
; sent a group OF citizens who will lack
2 you with all the financial assistance
d ba fs, Sf, "a inc ~
Investigation as is necessary 10 end
the situation that now EXITS, our
plan is 10 set Burns 10 work Gem
peting the task at which Wa put him,
, you being supplied with the facts ~
fast ms they come into our hands"
District Attorney Whitman accept
ed the offer All the information
gathered by Burns since November of
last year has been turned over to him.
and this amazing array with the pro-
duet OF continuous work by Burns
since that time. has been laid before
the grand jury. Both of the Schief-
feitns refuse 10 discuss the iuVestiea-
ton, and beyond the fact thar Mr..
Shiefeln gave some information 10
the district attorney, nothing OF the
) investigation has become public
Wealthy Men Interested.
John u. Rockefeller, Jr., entered
into the matter through having oeen
: foreman OF the grand jury which
! investigated the white slave traffic
a year ago, in which connection he
had several interviews with Mrs
Scheiffelin, But 1t is denied that NJ
Rockefeller is cooperating in the
movement Mr.. and Mrs. Schieffe}in
have started, although he win con-
, tribute to the fund for It's further
ance.
i Pierpont Morgan has become W.