New-York tribune., 1916-02-16
Rev. W. B. Farrell, in Let
ter. Sends Charges
to Whitman.
WHOLE PROCEEDING
A PLAIN CONSPIRACY
Calls Doherty Misfit-S Says Chill
dren in Bernstein Home Com
pIain of Beatings.

Commissioner John A. kingsburys
charges against the State Board OF
Charities and the charitable institu-
tions, which have resulted in the inves-
tigations now under way by the Strong
commission, were the object of an at
tack Yesterday by the Rev. William B.
Farrell. pastor OF the Church OF IS.
Peter and Paul. Brooklyn.
Father Farrell. for many years asso-
ciated with charity work and inyestiga-
tions. has been threatened with suit for
slander as the result Of his disclosures,
but he has never backed down. lie now
unhinchingy discredits the investiga-
tions reported to the Strong Commis-
sion in an open letter sent yesterday 10
Governor Whitman. The letter was sent
with the approval OF the New YORK ana
Brooklyn authorities OF the Catno"c
Church.
THE Department of Charities" ne
writes, "to crafty its hatred Of the
State Board. under the advice OF the
heads of the Charity Trust has used
the institutions for it's own purposes.
80 certain am OF the substantial
truth OF this entire investigation
being a conspiracy against the lnstitu-
tions and the state board and IN the
interest Of the organizations sometimes
spoken of as the Charity Trust that To
seems to me this investigation has al,
ready gone far enough. This so-called
investigation is entirely dlscredited.
The Strong commission in its course TO
date has made itself entirely DIS
trusted.
"William J. Doherty is master Of the
committee. BY the experience OF MS
whole life. even from childhood, ne IS
disqualified for this service. brought
up in one Of our institutions, he SUB
consciously retains his early prejudice
and hatred OF restraint, OF study, OF
obedience. He was difficult boy
His later education by the Christian
Brothers. which he is prorting by to-
day. did not awaken gratitude. Later
physical ailments fell upon him, and
of and on have been a burden. FOR
years he was entertained in these very
institutions and nursed by them IN ms
illness. 8,
"Mr. poherty was inherently unified
by all these things and many more for
this work. One should not forget the
pit from which he is digged. had Mr.
Kingsbury any sense OF propriety or
decency he never would have appointed
or allowed Mr. Doherty 20 head this so
called commission.
Ludwig r. Bernstein, leading mem
Der Of the committee. This man was
chosen because he Is jew and the
superintendent Of new Jewish !nstitL-
tion on the cottage village plan. His
rf fyy.i %
day offers as much TO criticisc ss the
poorest institution Of them all. His
children are dependents, good chill
dren, not sent TO him from the courts.
Do they stay in the delightful cottage
village No; they run away like mad.
When the aqueduct police pick them
UP the reply is, The president is al
ways beating us
dR. r. Reeder. This member of the
committee, and supporting witness,
is another person utterly disqualified.
OF the struggles or cares OF institu-
tions loaded with undesirables he
knows nothing. To ask him TO pass on
an ordinary institution is travesty.
"The great motive Of the 'investiga-
ton was accidentally disclosed by
Kngsbury himself, when on the wit
ness stand he said: u selected W. j.
Doherty as my deputy because he WAS a
Catholic, and might be able to cope
with tho opposition of the Catholic
Church.
But hear another explanation Of
King bury. I appointed Mr.. Doherty in
the face of considerable opposition TO
p Catholic Never before in the his
tory Of city department was an off,
cial selected solely because Of his re-
ligon. He was selected TO do dis
against his own Church"
Father Farrell concluded his letter
to the Governor with a demand that
the whole thing come 70 an immediate
end, asking for a committee Of the Leg
islature empowered 10 investigate the
societies pushing this investigation,
the Department of Public Charities and
the State Board Of Charities.