The sun., 1919-06-05
WOMAN SOUGHT IN
SOLDIERS AID PLAN
Mrs. Lois Wilson Closed Fifth
Avenue Office After Boom
ing Florida Farms.
SERVICE MEN APPEALED
Wealthy Backers of Project
Cannot Be Found by Dis
trict Attorney.

A preliminary Investigation to ascer-
tain whether crime has been commit
ted and II so by whom was conducted
by Magistrate Harris In the Municipal
Term Court yesterday in connection
with an alleged philanthropic project to
help discharged service men, army
nurses and yeomanettes by furnishing
to them ten acre lots in Florida upon
which bungalows were to be erected.
The beneficiaries were to be launched
upon profitable careers as agriculturists
without expense to themselves, 1t was
said.
According to the testimony, Mrs. Lois
Wilson, who opened an ONCE in fur
therance at 721A Fifth avenue, had
signed up about $500 prospective farm
ers before questions were asked by the
District Attorneys office. the War Camp
Community Service and Nathan Hirsch.
chairman OF the Mayors committee
which has been looking into tax lien
frauds. Ten days ago the Fifth avenue
establishment was closed and Mrs Will
son left town. last having been heard
OF In Washington. At the close of
yesterdays proceedings Theodore L.
Waugh. Assistant District Attorney
asked that a summons be issued, return
able June IL.
Paul Wanda, chief Of the research
vocational education bureau OF the War
Camp Community Service and former
psychologist at Sing Sing prison, said
he began looking into the matter after
vice men. There was a miniature farm
with toy animals on exhibition in the
window OF the vacant Fifth avenue store
where Mrs. Wilson was promoting her
enterprise, he said. and typewriter
literature which said:
Each returning soldier has come
home with new vision. a higher ideal
and greater appreciation of the gift
of our forebears to us in America
Help him to help himself He doesn't
wish for our charity, but he expects
and deserves a square deal and all the
help we can give him to make more of
himself"
Tract of $4,000 Acres in Florida.
Mrs. Wilson's colony. so the witnesses
testified. was to be developed upon a
tract Of about $4,000 acres in Clay
and Putnam counties in northeastern
Florida, controlled by Capt. William p.
Garnett, a former British army officer
Two lines Of railroad ran across II, she
explained. and the st. Johns River az
forded access to the sea. Each colonist
was to have ten acres, a bungalow. the
use OF horse and instructions in farm
Ing from the Department of Agricul-
ture. Cows, pigs and chickens were to
be supplied. without any cash outlay.
for six months. A line Of steamers was
20 be established by the company be-
tween New York and Jacksonville and
the products OF their farms were to be
shipped here for sale at city prices.
Mrs. Wilson said that wealthy philan-
thropists. who did not wish their names
mentioned at present, were behind the
plan and would finance II. They wanted
no return upon their money other than
5 per cent. which could be paid by the
farmers any time within five years. It
was stated that the total cost TO each
person would be between $4,000 and
$4,000 and that three crops could be
raised each year.
Capt. Garnet testified that he ac-
tually controlled the land in question
and that he believed II admirably
adapted for farming after Il had been
cleared. He said that when he learned
It was to be used to aid discharged SOL
diers and sailors he agreed to sell It to
Mrs Wilson at material reduction
and that she agreed to pay 5000 down,
SO, 900 when she took possession and
5000. 900 at the end of a year.
Army Omcer Not Impressed.
William Edward Buck of San Fran
cisco, who was a Lieutenant of infantry
during the war. saw one of Mrs Wilson's
advertisements at the Paul Jones Club
in which she sought a former army off,
GER to take charge of the military dis
cipline at the colony. She engaged him
and agreed to give him the pay and al
lowances of a captain. he said. After
being in the Office for a time Lieut..
Buck said that he lost his enthusiasm
and that Mrs. Wilson became angry at
him because he spoke disparagingly OF
the scheme to prospective recruits.
-I left without getting any pay after
she wrote me rather a nasty letter and
stole my keys from my room one night"
the Lieutenant told the court. II tried
to tell Capt. Garnett abs was crazy"