New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-13
Swami to Seek Explanation
of Mofatt and Fish
Contributions
Carnegie Aided Fund
VIM. K. Vanderbilt Also Gave
$4,000 to Russian
Ambulance

Investigation Of the affairs Of the
American Ambulance in Russia by Dis
t-ict Attorney Swami disclosed yester-
day that John Moffatt. head Of Hero
Land Bazaar, sent $1,000 TO the Ambu-
lance Committee on June p last. while
Mr.. Mpffatt was head Of the League Of
the Allies, which was conducting the
autumn bazaar. -Four davs before max
ing that contribution Mr. Mofatt wrote
to Hamilton Fish. jr., Of the Ambulance
Committee, thanking him for a $1,000
contribution from the American
Ambulance in Russia to the League of
the Allies.
Assistant District Attorney Kilroe, in
charge of the inquiry, announced last
night that he will call on Mr.. Moffatt
70 explain the apparent complimentary
exchange Of contributions between the
two organizations.
Mr.. Kilroe also found correspondence
signed by Mr. Fish in August, 1916, in
Ambulance TO that date were placed at
Sl01,000 Inasmuch as the report of
the auditors covering a period from
August, 1916, to August 81. 1917,
showed total contributions OF S107.-
900, Mr.. Kilroe will ask for an eX-
planation.
In "a letter to Andrew Carnegie's sec
al h.. -, no uAa
ment is made that all moneys raised
were 70 be expended for automobiles
and surgical supplies, the Russian gov
eminent meeting the maintenance
charges. The statement was also made
that there were mo overhead charges
Mr. Carnegie gave $1,000.
Replying TO a contributor who COM
planned that his contribution Of SIS
had not been acknowledged a letter
signed by Mr.. Fish last January stated
that the writer was responsible for
every penny expended and that there
were mo overhead charges" Some Of
the largest contributors were George
Eastman. $4,000, and William X. Van
derbilt, $4,000. Checks were made
payable to Philip Lydig, Hamilton
fish, jr., DR.. Philip Newton and Will
liam Hamilton, directors.
William Stoermer, of No. So Fort
Washington Avenue. publicity and
amusement manager Of the Ambulance
Field Committee, explained the SO
charge for silk hosiery" discovered by
Mr.. Kilroe. He said the committee con-
Quoted a booth at the Red Cross bene-
fit in Coney Island, and the silk stock
ings q dozen pairs at SO DOZEN were
purchased 10 raise money IN the fol-
lowing manner:
The figures Of several gayly attired
females were painted on canvas 10
which had been affixed papier mache
lower extremities. The silk hosiery was
used 70 slip on over the papier mache
affairs. Then beribboned hoops were
given 10 patrons TO toss at the dummy
limbs Cat 10 cents a throw, and 10
every one who put hoop over papier
mache extremity pair of the stock
ings were awarded.
Got $500 for Fonr Months Work
Through his counsel-Blumenthal &
Levy, Of 233 Broadway-Morton VI.
Palmer, Of 432 Fourth Avenue, who had
contract for the motion picture
propaganda conducted by the ambu-
lance, declared that he collected S17,5S7
and turned every cent OF II over 20 the
association. For his work, lasting four
months, he received less than $1,000
after he paid expenses.
Wesley Shedd and Garrett Demarest,
collectors, admitted yesterday that they
received 10 per cent of S6,jli collec-
tons for a little less than one months
work. They said they wanted to give
their services free in the hope that
they would be assigned TO drive the
arnbulance in Russia but the commits
sion of 10 per cent was forced on them
Stoerner insisted yesterday that he
received only 10 per cent Of the 20 per
cent that went to the T.. X. Oswald Film
Company, which had $3.50 contract
for propaganda work with the ambu
lance. He said he also got only 10
per cent Of the so per cent that went
to Palmer for similar educational work