New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-29

nc mite NrOSs nome 4OL PENN
less gentlewomen,' at - West jlst st..
was under suspicion yesterday, but not
by the needy poor of the city. All
day long hungry women came and were
fed, and they paid no heed TO asper-
sions cast upon the place because OF
the remarks attributed to its founder,
Francklyn Lawrence. that pretty girls
were the particular object Of the com
mittee's ministrations.
At . cclocl me front door opened
timidiy and trembling little figure
crcpt IN.
81 aidn. come Tor myself she whs-
pered. "It's for some one else -my
daughter. walked all the way from
The Bronx to see f you could help her.
/ saw about you IN the paper"
They made the little woman sit
down. although she protested against
causing any trouble. Then some one
went to the kitchen to make tea Tor
her.
"My daughter has been out of work
for weeks. and she's little giri 10
support" she said, sobbing. Her hus-
band deserted her she got so as
couraged she tried TO throw herself
into the river the other night, but God
sent voice that told her to come to
me. that ! would help her. so she came
10 nv house. Every day since then
she has walked all the way from
The Bronx downtown looking for work.
She cannot get it, My child IS worn
out with the walking. thought II
YOU could let her sleep here nights ~
would save her that awful tramp each
morning
There were tears in other eyes than
the old woman's when she finished. Mr..
Lawrence himself wept.
Damn those muckrakers,' he cried.
what do they mean by writing lies
about a work like this? Can't they see
that I'm only trying 10 help these pitt
ful creatures Can't New York com
prehend the idea of man doing any
thing lust Tor the sake of doing good
Why-oh. well. please excuse me, Du'
I'm really terribly upset about TINS
thing It hurts
The weeping old woman was given
some supper and cariare. Mr.. Law
renee promised to give the daughter "A
position if he heard Of one. but told
her there was no chance OF giving her
J sleeping room. because the committee
has only eight beds and long waiting
/ list.
In reply to the insinuations asso-
ciated with the statements that only
"pretty girls" need apply, Mr. Law
renee said: Look about you. DO you
sec any sirens here? The only people
we have in the house are two elderly
women. each more than SIXTY, ] should
say: A woman Of thirty-hvc and her
f eigbt-vear-old girl aud one woman of
about twenty. She came mere last
4 night at $3.50 O'Clock crying, saying She
/ had been turned away from the church
/ parish house 20 which she applied, and
that she thought there was nothing for
bcr but the street or the river She
saw our white cross on the window and
remembered having read about 10. 80
she tried, and did not find Us wanting.
The Young woman when questioned
told q similar story. She had come
from Orange. y. l., three weeks ago,
seeking work. and her money was gone.
she said
one Of the residents Of the house is
a middle-aged woman. who said she
was an actress. She testified 10 having
been at the White Cross since II opened.
two weeks ago. and that she had
nothing but praise for the manage
ment
Charles d. Stickney. named on the
White Cross letterhead as treasurer OF
Mr.. Lawrence said in explanation of
the references TO his having been ar
rested in 1905 in connection with a
magazine called Society" that the
case was dropped by Judge Barlow. and
he had brought suit for defamation OF
character and false arrest against
Henry B. Harris, the employc of the
magazine.
Mrs. Louise Lawrence Cobb. he
stated, was his adopted sister. having
been legally adopted by his father some
/ fifteen years ago.
The house occupied by the White
! Cross H. battered mansion, with I'M
posing mirrors and arched doorways.
but no furniture TO speak of. The two
large bedrooms ON the second floor are
equipped with three or four narrow
cots each and a single dressing table.
Yesterday the guests" sat on the
edges Of their beds and wondered why
so manI persons came 70 gaze al them
i'm their restitution. Only one Of the
/ whole number could be clsssed as
Young or attractive.
Mr. Lawrence produced q letter
signed by George Barton French. whom
/ he called the owner OF the house, which
said: personally have no objection
/ TO the plans OF the White cross 0om-
mittee in regard TO the use oil 10 west