Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-27
MRS. WILLIAM c. STORY
INDICTED AND ARRESTED
Former ID. 4. II. President Accused
of Larceny in Connection With
War Relief Work.
TROUBLE OVER COMMISSIONS
Half Of Money Collected for Comfort
Kits POcketcd by Solicitor, Ac-
coriing to Observation-Disclosures
Denies Guilt.
IRv Associatcd Prcss.l

NEW YORK. June a6-AIrs. William
Cumming story. former prcsidcnt-gen-
cral of the Daughters of the American n
Revolution. WAS arrested here late to-
day on indictments charging her with
grand larceny, petty larceny and con-
spracy in connection with the affairs
o: the National Emergency Relief So
ciety. of which she is president.
Mrs. Story was pnro!cd in the Gus
tody of her counsel until tomorrow
afternoon, when she viii he arraigued
and bail will be fixed.
The grand larceny Indictment ac-
cuscs Mrs. story OF obtaining s362.e4 of
the proceeds OF the hero land war
charity bazaar conducted here last
winter through falsely certifying that
her society paid no commissions TO So
lcitors
Mrs. story. as head OF the society. is
charged with countenancing an ar
rangcment whereby Il solicitor named
William Garland Brown was given half
of whatever contributions he obtained
for tho organizations Soldiers COM
fort kit fund" when, ii is alleged.
representations were made that the So
ciety paid no commissions for such
solicitation.
The petty larceny bill alleges that she
received SEQ from r Colt Johnson to
provide ten soldiers with comfort kits
when in fact. only half Of this money
was spent for that purpose. the rest
hcing pocketcd by Brown in accordance
with his contract with Mrs. story as
head of the society One conspiracy
indictment accuses Mrs. Story and AL
len story of obtaining $50 which II
iS
negotiating lease on a Madison
Avenue property for the society.
In a statement to-day District At
torney Swami declared his questioning
of Brown seemed TO show that 90 per
cent of the money nc received went
TO Sterling Story. Browns portion OF
the funds. Swami said. amounted to
about $4,000 up to March % this year,
and up to that date he had given ap-
proXimatcly 500 of this amount to
Sterling Story.
Mrs. story expressed surprise to-day
when Informed at her home IF her in
dictmcnt. and declared she was sure
every charge can be explained and
diSprovcd." She said she. with other
New York women, organized the Ma
tonal Emergency Relief Society last
September to furnish lodGine-and com
forts TO soldiers and sailors in New
York and overseas. Approximately So
900 TO $1,000 had been expended to
date. she said. hut the exact amount
was known only to Mrs. V. B. Law
renee. the socicty's treasurer.
deny these charges absolutely"
Mrs Story said, hut am glad that
the matter has been brought to head
ann that | shall have my day in court"
Mrs. Story intimatcd she was the
victim of animus." in the statements
made to the grand jury which resulted
IN her Indictment
Indicted with Mrs. Story were her
sors. Ailcn. an army lieutenant sta
toned ut Aberdeen, Md. and Sterling.
who is now in the government service
at Washington They are charged with
having participated with their mother
in proti' ccrinE schomc. whereby
money contributed for comfort kits for
United States soldiers was diverted to
III. pockets of n solicitor.
The assistant district attorney. who
has charge of tho inquiry. declared
there was no way OF checking I'M the
contributions made and the use to
which they were ultimately put. Con-
sequently, he said. the aggregate
amount believed to have been misuscd
could not he verified
Mrs. story the prosecuting authori-
ties declare. never was actually elected
president of tho relief society. but took
that Office arbitrarily AS matter of
fact they say. the manner in which
the society itself was Incorporated was
grossly Irregular"
Several prominent members have
Withdrawn and insisted that their
names bo no longer used on it's sta
tionery. 1t Is said. Among them are
Rear-Admiral Bradley y. FislSe and
CONTINUED on Fifth Page)