Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1918-07-06
THAT ALLEGED
FIRE GRAFT

The Tribune says that row is i'm.
minent In the Chicago fire department
over the collection of funds for the
Firemen's Mutual Aid and Benevolent
Association. officials of the two be.
nevolent organizations have con.
tracted with a professional theatrical
promoting agency to collect funds
from the public on percentage basis.
The charge Is made that the fire.
mems organizations are due to receive
less than one.half the money collected
the big balance going to the men
| who are collecting for the iremen. Ac-
cording TO solicitors, the promoters
get i5 per cent of all money sub.
scribed, the associations 45 per cent
and the solicitors 10 per cent.
Each professional solicitor who is
sent out is accompanied by fireman
in uniform and also carries letter
introducing him. signed by Capt. A. J.
Kelly, secretary of the Firemens
Mutual Aid Association. Every bust
ness house and numerous residences
are being visited to appeal for funds
for the iiremen. Thousands of dollars
are said to have been collected In the
last few weeks.
Both Capt. Kelly and Assistant Chief
Edward Buckley, treasurer of the
Firemen's Benevolent Association, in
sisted that there was nothing irreg-
ular in the new collection system.
Il know there are some knockers
and they are iiremen-the very men
we are trying to help" Capt, Kelly
said. I'VE have signed contract with
a legitimate theatrical organization
the Metropolitan Features Company.
| They are helping us collect the money
and they are going to put on a big
entertainment for us in the Audito-
rum next September.
THE tickets are 81 each and every
man that contributes to our funds Is
entitled to as many tickets as his con.
tribution will buy. OF course, there
are many who just make a donation,
as they don't want tickets for the en-.
tertainment"
is II fact that the two associa-
lions are to receive less than 80 per
cent of the collections?" he was asked.
NO, can't tell you just what the
contract provides, but it's more than
that Wen get nearer 80 per cent
The whole row is because some of the
firemen have to go around with the
solicitors on their days off to help
make the collections and they're sore
about It,"
Chief Buckley insisted that the fire
mems organizations would get most
OF the funds collected.
No one could be found at the Offices
of the Metropolitan Features Com
pany, Il Quincy street, who could
speak with authority. An Office EN-
ploye said that the only men who
could explain the working methods OF
the company were Benjamin Ross, II
Bloomfield, Ben Klar and Mr.. Cohn
None OF them was in, ii was said, anC
he didn't know where any of then
live,
According TO a former solicitor fol-
the agency some thirty solicitors, eacf
with a fireman for partner, have
been busy for many weeks on the
street.
It's worked in regular business
style" he explained. First we are
given list of prospects with ad
dresses and told they have been writ
ten to for contributions. We were told
If a man offered us so TO ask for s2(
to get all we could, We took the
fremen along to help get the money
that old uniform is good to get cash
on, you know II we failed to get a
contribution the first trip, second
letter was sent out and we called
again"
In the letters that were sent out
to citizens for funds it was stated that
the money is to be placed in trust for
the aid Of disabled iiremen and wild