Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-29
RED CROSS BAZAAR
ENDS WITH ECLAT
Business Men Vie in Swelling
the Fund With Purchases
at Princely Prices
CLEAR S. A MINUTE
Prominent Stage Folk Add to Sue
cess of War Under
taking

At an early hour yesterday morning
]. Alfred Clark, president Of Ciark's
Iron Foundry, issued from the Colon
made Hotel carrying the following
articles.
One large silk sofa cushion, hand en-
broidered; one cut-glass perfume bot
tie. one 'hand-painted cake box, one silk
sweater, one toy monkey three feet
high. made OF brown wool; the consci-
business of having done his bit Cor the
Fed Cross and one checkbook in which
only stubs remained.
Close at his heels came Charles
Kelker, commission merchant and bon
vivant. burdened with a basket OF hot
house fruit as big as a roll-top desk, but
stepping lightly as he called 20 mind
that he had paid only $50 in cash for
the fruit, with two dances with Jean
Downs, who plays the part of Beauty
In "Experience," thrown in for good
measure.
It was the closing scene in the bazaar
held Thursday night at the Co!onnade,
At which $5 a minute was realized for
seventy consecutive minutes for the Red
rross. Jerome II. Louchheim, president
pf the keystone Construction Company.
had already fled, carrying with him a
thina Kewpie doll, for which he had
paid ten round dollars.
Raymond Hitchcock, comedian of
tHitchy-Koo," had started the excite
ment. Dashing to the hotel after he had
finished his performance Mt the Lyric
tact pi0ht ha iptn tha rentev
Df the ring formed by several hundred
guests at the hotel and began to auction
bff the articles donated by number of
business firms to the Red Cross. "Pounce
on them, pounce on them J" he urged. In
The famous Hitchcock drawl. The crowd
bounced on them so enthusiastically that
in eight minutes the comedian had sold
$50 worth and had provoked eighty
three laughs to the minute.
Then Jean Downs took his place as
suctioneer, holding up malacca walk
ing stick as her first Offering. Colonel
Samuel d. Lit, who is a director in the
Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of
the Red Cross and who was entertaining
= party of friends, ran the bidding up
until ne got the cane in exchange for a
$50 bill. j. Alfred Clark. who had
scored first honors by buying S65 cut
glass perfume bottle, donated by Bonwit,
Co, for $37, felt hurt when he
erbd for the cane. and when a
hkey, asserted by Miss Downs to
zen donated by Mrs Vernon Cas-
put up, Mr.. Clark stuck 10 his
until he got the animal for a
10.
yas then that Charles kelker was
I'd to action. Sam Rosenbaum
resident of the Bonwit-Teller Com
took hand as auctioneer and Of
the privilege of n one-step with
,ctress. Some one bid So. Colonel
remembering years of training
pity marked the bid down to s7.9s
that It was a battle between Mr.
Ier and Mr.. Clark. Mr.. Kelker finally
ling out with a bid of $50 fiat. He
ted for the floor as the orchestra
+, ked up, and was cheerGd more wildly
than T. Roosevelt ever dreamed OF
being. Miss Mabel Goddard. of the West
Philadelphia Auxiliary of the Red Cross
under whose auspices the auction was
held, checked him before he got to the
dancing floor. however. and called fol
payment in advance. Mr.. kelker peeled
bft a $50 note in midcareer and got his
moneys worth. Later he paid $40 fol
4 second dance.
Dressed In Red Cross uniforms, Mrs
p. l.. Landon, Mrs. +. B. Hause. Mrs
A. p. Archer. Miss Emile Goddard. Miss
Irene Archer. Miss r. Eifell and Miss
Helen Biclsel, all representing the West
Philadelphia auxiliary, collected tho bids
as fast as they were closed. Among the
firms which donated articles were Mac
Donald G. Campbell, Robert Steel
Walter G. Becker and Stephano Broth.
ers.