New-York tribune., 1917-11-28
"Planting" of Man and
Girl in Hotel Enough
Evidence, She Asserts
Inquiry Is Started
Woman in Case Questioned by
Officers at Governors
Island

Mrs. Grace Humlston, VINO Oh gun
day sent a forty-yesr-old man and
sixteen-year-old girl to Camp Upton
Long Island, to register as husband
and wife in the Acker, Merrsll & Condlt
Company's hotel there in an effort TO
prove her contentious that immoral con-
ditions exist in the cantonment, issued
q statement last night in which she de-
clared she was satisfied" with the re-
suit Of her plant"
Her statement further charged that
the stories concerning the arrest OF
James c. Adkins and Adeline Francis
who accompanied him, given out by Of
fcials at the camp, were "garbled.'
THE stories printed to-day on the
statements of the officials of Camp
Upton," her statement reads, give the
impression that my ruse failed. As a
matter of fact, it was successful.
sent the couple, neither of them. pald
investigators. but both persons inter-
ested in seeing conditions down thefe
cleared UP, TO the Lond Island camp 10
investigate the report that II was pos,
sible for men TO take girls TO tne hoIeI
there without baggage and register dS
husband and wife.
"And thew proved that. This forty
vear-old man and sixteen-year- GIRL
who looks even younger than her age,
we're assigned to a room without bag
gage. All this in a hotel within camp
limits and not far from dlvl ION head,
quarters. They were not apprehendee
because of any vigilance on the part OF
the authorities there, as the statements
of the camp officials indicate. lney
were taken in charge some time alter
the hotel clerk had sent them TO tnelr
room. and then only because IL nap
named that they were recognized as
coming from this otf1ce.
"Otherwise this man and child would
have been permitted TO spend me night
in their room uninterrupted. lad they
desired TO do so. II such thing IS
possible, all is not as 1t might De al
the camp"
Adkins a Volunteer
Adkins, according to Mrs. Humiston
came to her some time ago and told her
he would be willing TO prove to her
that it was possible for 'ouples TO
register in the camp hotel without bag
gage if she would assign girl "who
could be trusted" to go with him.
Mrs. Humiston asked Miss Francis
to do this for her "as favor" The
girl consented. and Mrs. Humiston ac-
companied them to the Pennsylvania
Station Sunday night. She declared
she instructed them to return to New
York Immediately after they had sue
ceeded in registering at the hotel.
Miss Francis, whom Mrs. Humiston
said is under her guardianship. made
an affidavit of what preceded her ar
rest in the Morality League Office yes
terday afternoon. where she y as ques-
toned by Major Gardner. of Governors
Island. Colonel Johnson, also OF Cover
nor's Island, was in conference with
Mrs Humiston on Monday, 1t was
learned.
The girls affidavit showed, among
other things, that "Adeline Francis. IS
an assumed name. The girl testineo
that she had aspirations 70 become
"movie star" and that Francis was
the name she used. She is now work
ing as an extra in local Fl m studio.
Tells of Money Offered
The girl declared. when questioned
bv Major Gardner, that after she had
been arrested aud .aken to the mill
tarv police headquarters a lieutenant
who interrogated her finally told her
70 get out Of the camp and offered her
money so she could get room at
hotol in another place
The girl stated she refused to take
the money, fearing that il was an at,
tempt 70 make her out bad gir'.
she declared further that conversation
she overheard in a room next to the
one sb. first went to indicated that the
man and woman in it were not husband
and wife.
When she and Adkins first went 70
their room. the girl said, she asked
the clerk to send her bell boy; lie
answered, she said, This amt motel
This is camp" She declared the
clerk asked no questions when she and
Adkins registered
Mrs. Humiston stated that Governors
Island had been ordered by the War
Department to investigate conditions
At camps in the Department OF the
East, particularly Camp Upton. as dl'
rect result of her charges. No con-
frmation of this could be secured at
Governors Island. Neither would
Major Gardner nor Colonel Johnson
make any statement.