The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-30
Prince Of Wales Reputation
Of Bazaar and Ball Produces
Prompt Results
Donators Find
They Were'Worked'
Treasurer of Prince of Wales
Relief Fund 10 Anxious to
Learn Whereabouts Of Mrs.
Prentis

New York. Oct. 2s.--The Prince of
wales reputation OF Mrs. Prentis'
bazaar and bail. which she had an
nounced would be held at the Biltmore
Hotel next week for the benefit Of the
Princes National Relief Fund. was
followed today by almost eager dis
closures OF the woman's efforts to So
cial success via the Charity that's In
the air" as one prominent New Fork
woman said. who had been led To a
brief forty -eight-hour interest in the
now indefinitely postponed affair by
Mrs Prentis' display OF apparently ex-
cellent credentials,
The real treasurer OF the real Prince
of Wales Relief Committee, and an
other member added their reputation
TO tia; of the British crown, half a
dozen prominent men and women OF
the city denied that Mrs. Prentis had
n right tc use their names as patroniz-
ing .he affair in any way: donators and
patrons were found who did not know
that they were donators. and patrons
"a list % them. in fact: all kinds of
elaborate stationery and Invitations.
some engraved with the Princes coat
OF arms. turned up, along with the fact
that the police have been asked to in
vestigate the charity workers ac-
tivities. All these and more, but not
one inkling OF the whereabouts OF the
active Mrs. Prentis or her husband,
who hastily left the Hotel Woicott ten
days ago. and the Bilimore about the
same time apparently because the
announcement OF their extensive
plans became too general for their
comfort and future case.
ANXIOUS ~ Find Lady.
Outside % list Of prominent bust
~ hsttaaz &pA -. rfs
Lions I'M The way OF necessities Tor the
fefe amounting 10 seve raj hundred dol
lars. Ralph ~. Stuart WorIey, treAssir
er OF the bona fde Prince of Wales
National Relief Fund, IL perhaps the
most anxious to And the elusive Mrs.
Prsntis. Mr.. Morley ieels that the
-eaarity itself has been hurt by the ac-
.irities or the woman whom he has
had private detective agency In
vestigatins since frequent inquiries
reached hts office or Broad Street as
10 her reliability, social standing and
wealth, about all of which he then
knew nothing.
MIS-. Preutis came 10 him shortly
after Br ookiyn hotel man asked him
about her. He said she proposed the
ball and bazaar. which he discouraged
because she had no social connections
here. he said. Later, when Mrs
Prentis had secured from the Bilt-
more the use of q room for an Office
OF THE Prince of Wales Relief Fund
Bazaar and Ball" Mr.. Wortiey told
the hotel people that she was not au-
thcrized to represent the fund. Re-
ports of the woman's solicitations came
rapidly thereafter. Miss Eva Kard, of
she suffrage organization. told Mr..
Wortley Mrs. Prentis had represented
herself to the organization as a pro-
nioier and treasurer OF the fund.
sent Money for the Cause.
"A letter came to this Office said
Mr.. Wortley from a Lady Drum
mond, In Canada. saying that she had
sent $25 TO the fund in care ri Mrs
Prentis and had received no acknowI-
edgmeat. That money has never been
turned in here. A weli-known boot
maker In Forty-seeond sStreet said he
had given her sic and had made a
very expensive pair of shoes for the
bazaar. He told me ne knew OF con.
tributions from milliners and various
other dealers. amounting to something
like 5000. Finally the Retail Trades
Protective Association told me that
Mrs. Prentis was trying to obtain
credit at fashionable places about
town. All other means failing, sent
q statement OF the facts to the British
embassy In Washington with the re-
suit that has appeared"
A private detective agency's report
to Mr.. Wortley about Mrs Prentis con.
tanned interesting information. Mrs.
", or Bertha Prentis, was originally
Bertha Arbois. Belgian by birth. who
married Valentine Prentis. an English
man Of ordinary standing. According
TO the information supplied to Mr..
Wortley she has social ambitions by
which she hopes to place her husband,
too. In her solicitations for the
bazaar and ball she usually mentioned
the Prince OF Wales National Relief
Fund. and had elaborate letter heads
and invitations. A Brooklyn hotel
looked up the Montreal references she
gave when she visited there in the
interest ut another bazaar. and found.
them unsatisfactory for the hotel The
address where she Is said to have lived
In Montreal. 10S Mansfield Street, is
said to be that Of q eecond-class board
ing house. One Of her references. ac-
cording to Mrs. Wortiey's information
had been arrested for embezxlement.