New-York tribune., 1919-01-13
Investigator Shows 384
Bogus Charities We're Put
Out of Business in City
Twenty-six indictments
Kilroe Asserts Swindlers
Found Easy Prey in N. Y;
Urges a Preventive Law

his work filed with District Attorney
Swami reports that 3S4 Of 534 char.
tiles investigated were forced to dis
continue activities either as corrupt
dishonest, mismanaged or fraudulent
OF the remaining $50 found worthy OF
full or partial public confidence three
fourth were employing some vicious
methods OF collection, disbursement OF
accounting.
Mr.. Kilroe estimates that since 1914
not less than 10000 agencies have en-
gagged in war relief work in the United
States, ard of this number not less
than $500 operated in New York City
There are now, he says, more than
1900 war charities organizations at
work here. The amount raised in the
United States has been conservativcly
estimated at from three to four billion
dollars, and according to Mr. kilroe
three-tifths, or 60 per cent, of the total
sum was raised in New York.
"From tho facts revealed" Mr.. Kllroo
says, "it may be fairly estimated that
the amount of money stolen in New
months prior to the District Attorney :
investigation exceeds $3000,000. 1t is
not unfair to say that the wastage due
to mismanagement, inetficiency or du-
plication Of effort amounted to Go pei
cent Of the money collected
Following is brief resume of the
results of the investigation as reported d
by Mr.. Kilroe:
Twenty-six indictments Found
Twcnty-six indictments filed by the
grand jury, from which number OF
convictions were found.
A grand jury presentment warning
The public against waste and misap-
preparation in war relief work.
Restitution to the extent Of $250,000
forced from fraudulent charities and
swindlers.
The destruction of the 900 Per Cent
Boys" a coterie of cX-convicts, pro-
fessional swindlcrs and confidence men,
who in eight months frauduently OBJ
tanned 100000 from this New York
public, and its members either sent to
prison or forced to become fugitives
from justice.
The elm nation of the charity work
CT OF solicitor on commission basis.
The enactment of an ordinance by the
ager of a charity bazaar to be licensed
and placed under proper bond for an
accounting of funds raised by him.
A partial list of disredited war
charity organizations:
Alien Womens and Children's Re-
lief, American Ambulance in Russia,
American Conyalescent Home Associa-
ton, American Federation of Flying
Yacht Clubs, American-Italian War Re-
lief Society, American League for
World Peace, American Patriotic
League, American Navy Comfort Com
mittee, Belgium Babies Relief Commit
tee formerly the American Committee
for Relief of Babes Of Belgium), Amer
Cheer Fund, Children's Free Lunch
League, Inc; Cripples War Relief AS
sociation, Inc; Drake Ambulance and
Drake Section Sanitaire, Fund for the
Orphans of Italian Soldiers in Italy
the Godfathers' League of Our Allies,
the ltalian-American Society for the
Relief of the Blind, the Mutilated and
the Orphans Of the War the League of
Loyal Americans, the Loyal Legion of
America, the Loyalty League, the
Loyalty Publicity League of America,
the National Federation of the Com
mittee for Assistance to Blind, Lame
and Mutilated Soldiers. National War
Relief Committee, National Women's
Boys" the Penny awe eek Fund (Nealy),
the Protection of French Soldiers Re-
tired for Disability (Brahier Cie),
Samaritan Circle Of the Fath erless Chill
dren of France, Service Flag Hosp
tality, Thanksgiving Dinner Fund for
Soldiers, World War League, World
War Record Association.
Many Forced to Discontinue
Advertising solicitors forced out of
war relief:
Curray and Saunders, working on a
5O-75 per cent basis; Forsyth and Fisk,
working on 40-85 per cent basis; M
F. Sweeney, working on $3.50 per cent
basis; Wheaton Service Corporation.
working on 40-70 per cent basis.
Notorious eX-convcts forced out of
war relief:
y Doc Waterbury, alias julius I.
Ford; Milo T. Bogart, Nathaniel S.
Shaw, K. j. Wheaton, G. II. Allshouse.
Samuel Wiley and Colonel" j. r.
Smith.
People of prominence who were re-
questcd to discontinue war relief work:
Countess Sartoris Mrs. Cecile Sar-
torls, wife of grandson of General U.
Grant,, "Countess" Chic Mazzuch;
(tne Angel of the Marne'), Miss Hen
rlka A. c. van der Filler, "Countes $50
Laura de Gozdawa Turczvnowicz.
Seumas, chief of Clam Fhearguis of
Stra-char and Clam Ailpein Argyle'
Scotland; Waldemar De Billie. manaper
OF charity bazaars and entertainments
and others. ~ W
"Of special interest" Mr.. Kilroo
says, was the revelation of the char
acter and prominence of the patrons M Of
the various individual activities and
the gulllble carelessness with which
many persons of pro ninence lent thei,
names, in many instances without judr-
ment or investigation, to the activities
conceived and promoted often bv ex.
convlcts, confidence men, adventurers
and social parasites.
Gave "Climbers" Opportunity
This form Of activity was hit unon
at once by the 'climbers,' who saw sn
opportunity for social recognition and
preterment in the advertisement and
popular approval that would follow
from their ostentatious philanthronv
and patriotism. Many persons of thiss
type, possessed of considerable fortune