The Irish standard., 1918-05-25
The LADY Aberdeen
"PnILANTnRo?IEs"

Collected by Them for Alleged Irish
Charities Only $1,000 Was Sent to
Ireland-The Funds for the Irish
Child Welfare Society Raised at
Bazaars Throughout the United
States During the Past Four Years
Not Yet Accounted For-Irish
World Repeatedly Questioned Good
Faith of the Aberdeen.
Following two-hour conference
with District Attorney Swami in New
York City, it was announced by Lord
Aberdeen on Thursday that upon the
advice of the District Attorney neither
he nor Lady Aberdeen would continue
collecting funds for the Child Welfare
Association of Ireland. 1t is reported
after his interview with the District
Attorney Lord and Lady Aberdeen left
for parts unknown. Some say he is
now on his way to England.
The conference between Lord Aber-
deem and Mr.. Swami was the result
of a benefit given Wednesday, May s,
at Carnegie Hall by Lord and Lady
Aberdeen, at which Charlie Chaplin,
the "Blue Devils" of France and the
Pershipg veterans were all advertised
to appear and none arrived. The
eight hundred or more persons who
paid admissions were given a more
or less hit and miss entertainment,
which Edward P. Kilroe, Assistant
District Attorney, and number of de-
tectives, watched from the audience.
In making the announcement that
he had withdrawn from the collection
activities of supplying funds for the
Child Welfare Association, Lord
Aberdeen said that he undoubtedly
would hear from Charlie Chaplin, veri-
flying his statement that the screen
star said he would appear at the bene-
fit. In support of this he said that he
had sent Mr.. Chaplin telegram ad-
dressed "To Charlie Chaplin, some
where between. here and California, y,
which read:
Dear Charlie-Didn't you promise
me to show up at our benefit at Car
negie Hall Wednesday,"
Late Thursday afternoon the tele-
graph company had not succeeded in
locating Charlie, or if it had, the movie
star had not answered.
Some of the interesting statements
made by Lord Aberdeen to Mr.. Swami,
Mr.. Kilroe and Edward P. Tally, AS
he and Lady Aberdeen had collected
about $4,000 since 1915 for the Child
Welfare Association. Asked how
much money he had sent to Ireland,
Lord Aberdeen, who is a Scot, said
he. had sent about $4,000 to Scotland
in 1917.
"But understood that your charity
was in Ireland" Mr.. Swami was said
to have stated at this point.
"Well, we sent $1,000 to Ireland. the
same year," Lord Aberdeen replied.
He then said that he would assume
all the responsibility for the advertise
ments that were placed in the news
papers regarding the Carnegie Hall
benefit, also that he had been assured
by Carl G. Diener, the manager of the
benefit, that the "Blue Devils would
surely be there if they had not left
for France" AS matter of fact, the
"Blue Devils" were spending the day
inspecting the cantonment at Camp
Upton.
After he had been questioned at con-
siderable length the Marquis was told
by Mr.. Swami it would be desirable
to discontinue collections for the
period of the war. Lord Aberdeen
agreed that he, too, believed it would
be desirable to discontinue collections
for other than war charities and
stated that the affair of Wednesday
was the last that he had contemplated
giving.
There was a tacit understanding be-
fore Lord Aberdeen left Mr.. Swann's
office that no further collections would
be made for the Womens National
Health Association.
Carl G. Diener, the stage director
of the benefit, who lives at No. $50
West Forty-sixth street, was also at
the District Attorneys office, and be-
fore being examined by Alfred J. Tai
ley, said he knew very little about
either Lord or Lady Aberdeen or how
they had used the money for the Child
Welfare Association.
According to a statement made by
Edward p. Kilroe, Assistant District
Attorney, Mr.. Diener admitted that he
had been practically supported by a
seventy-two-year old Brooklyn widow