The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-01
WAR CHARITIES FUND
HALTED IN NEW YORK
Assistant District Attorney Ktlroe
Puts Stop to "so-Calicd"
Solicitation
FOR DRAKE SECTION sANrTAIRE
Organizer Agrees TO Turn over Col
lcctions to the French Ambassador.
Planned to Spend 100000 in
France.


called war charities fund was halted
here today when Assistant District
Attorney Kilroe ordered Miss Ethel
Langdon Drake to stop soliciting
funds in this country for the Drake
section sanitaire.
Miss Drake, whose home Is In Bos-
! ton. agreed to turn over $4,000 de-
! posted In Detroit bank to the credit
of the fund to the French ambassa-
dor. NJ. Jusserand. She was the or
ganizer of the Drake section sanitaire.
The organization purported TO be a
war charity, which was to furnish am
| balances for the Sixth French army
corps, with which American troops
front in France.
Miss Drake returned to this country
after tour of Europe and announced
that she planned to spend 100000
! of her own private fortune for the
cause and began soliciting funds In
this country.
According to her advertisements
! and press agent stories sent out from
the Ritz-Carlton hotel in this city,
where she made her headquarters. she
| had already sent twenty-five ambu-
| lances TO France.
! In addition to raising funds to
! equip arnbulances the plan embodied
the manning of the machines with
| American women ambulance drivers.
| The first camp for the training OF
| these drivers, of whom she wanted
| one thousand. was esta blished at Bay
| Side, Long Island, several weeks ago.
There were nineteen society women
of New York, under the command of
| Captain Virginia X. Chandler, at this
camp.
From each of these women Miss
! Drake is alleged to have been collect
ing sum of 500 a month for their
! training and maintenance.
Resigns Her Post.
AS soon as the FIRST word to the
effect that the work was under in
Evestigation was received at the Long
Island training camp yesterday Miss
Chandler, officer in command, called
her company together and resigned
her post, advising the women to do
| the same.
Later the same day the whole COM
pany appeared at the district attor-
ney's Office dressed in their service
uniforms, which closely resemble the
uniforms worn by the Blue Devils
only that they are designed for wo
men. Each was given an audience
by Assistant District Attorney kilroe.
This afternoon they again appeared
at the same Office dressed, this time.
IN the smart garb of fashionable New
York society women and made
further explanations.
Assistant DISTRICT Attorney Kilroe
stated tonight that he was fully salts
fled with the conduct of the camp,
which was beyond reproach.
The specific charges against Miss
Drake were that she had not given
orders for single ambulance. while
according to her press statements she
had already turned over twenty five
machines to the French government.
This. however was refuted by in
formation gained from the French
government authorities.
When Miss Drake returned today
from her home in Boston she was met
at the Hotel Ritz-Cralton by detec-
) tives and requested to appear before
the district attorney to explain mat
F.. tiers. Miss Drake was accompanied
: by Mrs. S. j. Symons, of London
whose husband is a major in the
British army.
The two women were accompanied
TO the district attorneys office by the
detectives. Mrs. Symons was ques-
toned first by Mr.. kilroe, and ii il
from her her. it was stated. that the
major part of the information regard.
J ing the activities of the war charity
work were learned. When she left
Mr.. Kilroe's office she was crying
She later told reporters that she had
accompanied Miss Drake from Lon
don for the purpose of assisting In
the work, leaving her husband agains,
! his wishes, and that she feared that
the breach could never be ''patched
up"
Mrs. Symons testified that she gave
Miss Drake her allowance OF $500
a month since the time she had en-
! barked on the project; that she had
turned over all her jewels, valued al
several thousand dollars, and her
croix de guerre, which had been given
her by the French government for
war work behind the allied lines
where she was active in managing the
British women ambulance drivers,
1t also came to light that Miss
Drake had in her possession several
diamonds belonging to Miss Gladys
Rhoades, of Omaha, which had been
put UP to guarantee the payment OF
the 500 a month.
According to staten ents made by
Mrs. Symons Miss Drake had interest
ed several women golf players who
had arranged tournaments for the
benefit OF the Drake section sanataire
from which had been collected over
$4,000. In addition to an order put
ting an end to the soliciting funds,
Mr.. Kilroe has stopped payment on
funds Mt several banks in this and
other cities in which Miss Drake has
on deposit. 49,.