Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-03-02
BUNDLE DAY"
FTSSTOLEN,
SHE DECLARES
Mrs. r. Manners Laird Says
Democratic Machine" Aid
ed in Theft.
"TEMPEST IN TEAPOT"
SAYS SUPERVISOR HACAN
Committee Busy on Great Piles
Of Donations at Market ST.
Headquarters.

That goods were deliberately stolen
from the Bundle Day. headquarters.
So Market street. and that the articles
were taken with the connivance of
the Democratic machine" was the
statement made today by Mrs. r.
Manners Laird. one of the Bundle
Day" committee In charge Of the dis
tribution of clothing for the poor of
the city.
Not only does she charge that goods
were stolen, but she says she was set
aside as supervisor in favor of Will
lam J. Hagan, who is in general
charge of the work Mrs Laird also
asserts that Mr.. Hagan spoke in a
rude manner, and that the store
where the goods are being collected
was without heat. The absence of the
heat in the place, she intimated, was
for the purpose OF freezing the wom-
en- workers out and allowing the ina
chine henchmen" to pick about
among the goods as they see At. with
out fear or hindrance.
When it came to making specific
charges, Mrs. Laird said that Mr..
Hagan had refused to secure a lock
for the back door and that she had
purchased one at her own expense
yesterday and now had tho key in her
pocket. She also referred to the fact
that unvouched for persons were ad-
mitted to the building
Mrs. Laird was nominated for men,
t1a-- - 4to ra.x-5 ~ ITaofft, ~,
Raymond in january. but the Demo
cratic majority refused to confirm
her name along with several others.
She brought up her allegations in the
Bundle Day" matter at a meeting of
the committee last night.
You don't really think that goods
were actually stolen from this build
ing. do your Mrs. Laird was asked
today for further explanation of hel
statement.
MY dear man, don't have II
think, know" was the reply.
I Last Saturday when went h5ri
/ left . box of fine underwear ant
comfortsrs in the rear Of the store
covered over 90 that they would no
be seen. When / came here Monda.
the goods were gone. Unvouched-fol
store and they were allowed to &C
through and pick out what they
wanted.
AT one of the meetings OF the
committee, 1t was suggested that
take charge as supervisor and then
Mr. Hagen, who was present, said:
Then there will be no use for me-
'.And what do you think that
George f.. Reeve. chairman OF the
committee said? He said that he
wished Mr.. Hagan would request
Mrs Laird to take charge OF the
women's and children's goods that
were received at headquarters.
'I made 1t clear that ] would not
work under Mr.. Hagan. I am supe-
rior to him.
81 want to say that as long as this
work remains to be done I shall be
here every day from o'clock In the
morning until o'clock at night. am
interested IN the poor citizens OF
Newark and this work must be car
ried on. apprehenced from the first
however, that there would be things
missing and I stated then to men,
bers of the committee that I would
not be morally responsible II any
thing were lost
Another thing that Mr. Hagan
wanted to do was to turn the Boy
Scouts into this building before we
were ready for them. Other unauthor-
ized persons have been here and
among them was a man whom / cav
at the last election was a challen-
CONTINUED on Page 8. Column 81