Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-27
FORMER D. AR. HEAD
IN LARCENY CHARGE
Mrs William Cumming Story
Charged With Graft IN War
Relief Case.

Revolution and also an cX-prcsident OF the
New York State Federation OF Women
Clubs was charged, respectively, with
ATTEMPTED grand larccny and petit lar
ccny IN two indictments filed Yesterday
by the Grand Jury before Judge Nc
Intvre in General Sessions.
The indictments were the result OF
District Attorney Swann's investigation
into the affairs of the National Elmer
gcncy Relief Society, of which Mrs.
Story is the head The district attor-
ncv is makning iqulrlcs regarding the
activities of Mrs. Storys sons, Sterling
and Allen. in connection with the relief
organization.
$50 INVOLVED.
Several hours after the news of the
indictment reached her Mrs Story ap-
pcarcd At the district attorneys Office
with her counsel, Edmund l.. Mooney,
IN whose custody she was paroled until
this afternoon, when bail will be fixed
Permission that Mrs Story remain IN the
custody of her counsel was gwen hv'Judgo
Mulqueen. to whose chambers she was
escorted
The Indictment charging attempted
grand larceny accuses Mrs Story OF
receiving $50 II from Hero Land Bazaar
through an allcgcdly false certlhcatlon
that her society was not paving com
missions to solicitors. The Indictment
alleged that the organization was really
paving commissions to n solicitor named
William Garland Brown
The petit larceny Indictment charges
that Mrs Story received $50 from r.
Colt Johnson for comfort KITS for sot-
dcrs and that IN fact onc-half OF tins
WAS gwen 10 Brown as commission.
MRS STORY NAMES DENIAL.
Mrs. Story was surprised TO learn that
she had been indicted and said that
she was sure that every charge can
ic explained and dlsproved She said
that with other New Nork women she
organized he National Emergency lichct
Socictv last September for tho purpose
oi furnishing lodging and comforts to
soldiers and sailors IN New York and
overseas. From $1,000 20 s. 600 had
been expended for these purposes 10
date, she said, but the exact amount
was known only to the society : treasurer
Il deny these charges absolutely,
Mrs Story sald. tut ! am glad that
the matter has been brought 10 n head
and that | shall have my day in court.
The District Attorney gave me no in
formation that the affairs Of the society
were before the Grand Jury
COUNSEL CHARGES pIsGRr NTLEMrNT
Following tho proceedings before Judge
Mulquecn. Mr. Mooney. on behalf
oi his chent. charged that her lndIct-
mcnt was the result OF "disEruntlCmcnt
on the part of a member Of tho organlza-
tion whose name he did not mention.
Mrs Story has absolutely no knowl-
edge Of any of the transactions with
which she is charged Mr. Mooney said
hOr 81 Ia. i,,a ,,A of h.,
facts or the alleged facts. during the
course of this Investigation, and upon
talking with her sons. both OF whom are
now In The service
Il take great pleasure III SAYING that
having known Mrs Story for great
many wears. and knowing the family to
which She belongs. that were II not
for tho weight Of such a charge the
proceeding would appear ridiculous in
my ewes Tho thought that Mrs Story
could participate in the petty matters
that are charged against her sons Is
Inonstrous 10 any one who knows her
Mr Mooney characterized the Hero
Land charge as ''bosh and rot He
SAID that the check from Hero Land
was not usable and cashable by Mrs
Story. and that because OF circumstances
In the organization II devolvcd on Mrs
Story TO handle the check.
Petit larceny charges arc usually
brought in the police court Mr. Mooney
continued. and Il certainly Is q remark
able thing that the werght OF the Grand
jury should have been brought TO bear
on such charges aS are here contained
Mrs story desires is ear ~ . trial as pos
Asible
CHARGES DAUGHTER
Mr Mooney said hat when Mrs.
Story called on him the first thing she
asked was whether any one from y GER
tam State was involved IN the case. He
explained hat two years ago he came
INTO possession of certain information
which led hm 10 form the belief that
SO long as one daughter of the State
IL question was alive Mrs Story would
te pursued TO the ends OF the earth. y
and would be made the subject OF "a
personal and bitter controversy
The District Attorneys further in
vestlgatlon includes an inquiry into the
circumstances concerning the negotia-
ton OF a lease for the society at 238
Madison Avenue The District Attor-
nev also desires TO know the details re-
gardlng the alleged payments Of com
missions to her son Sterling by Brown,
the solicitor
Last March, after Mrs Story had been
questioned at the District Attorneys
Office concerning the society she ex-
planned the payment Of money BY Brown
40 her son Sterling saying that she knew
that Sterling helped Brown prepare 8
cook book but what was paid To him by
Brown she did not know. Shortly after
ward the society, Al regular meeting at
which Mrs STORY did not occupy the chair
passed d resolution praislng her efforts
In behalf Of the war work of the organ
1zatlOn.
KILROE's RE-oRT TO SWAMI.
In report 10 District Attorney Swami.
Mr.. kIlToc who had charge Of the in
vestigatlon SAID, The society at the
present time has on hand about S14 600
This money was raised ia the main BY an
advertising solicitor named William Gar
hand Brown on a ffty-ffty contract.
The solicitation was made through the
mails BY Brown on the representation
that the money was 10 be used for com
fort kits for soldiers So far as ! am able
10 ascertain, nothing was said IN the re-
quest for donations about the engaging
leasing or hiring of q house for soldiers or
sailors These subscription blanks re-
quest that the checks be made TO the order
OF the Treasurer, but the return envelope,
however, is 50 addressed that the mail
all went TO Mrs. William Cumming Story,
who, In turn, it IS presumed, turned the
checks over TO the Treasury
For three years Mrs Story was Prcsi-