The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-06-18
FALSE STORIES
WELLESLEYCOLLEGE HEADS
WERE THE SLEUTHS
Effort Made To Locate Ingenious
PeddIer of Untrue News
Yarns

wellesley, Mass, June 14.-lBy The
Associated Press.]-Wel!esley Col
lege authorities, are trying to head on
the activities of an ingeniexs news
peddler who, making his headquarters
in Boston, has sent to newspapers all
over the country complimentary but.
the college officials say, untrue stor-
les concerning young women in the
student body and members of the fac
ulty. His method is to query a news
paper as to whether it wishes story
of which a student or faculty member
living in the city or town where the
paper is published, is the central fig
ure. The identical query is sent to
anywhere from fifty TO one hundred
papers, it is alleged, with a different
name in each case for the heroine of
the story. These names are taken
from the college catalogue.
Regarding one Of these stories the
college publicity department says:
"On April % there went out from
Boston to newspapers an over the
United States and Canada a set of
kilograms like the following, except
for name and address:
wellesley honors Anna Abbott, 60
Main Street, to represent college
sweeping government economic in
VeStgation.
"The story sent to those papers
which wired acceptance was that the
local student, or, in some towns whose
supply of students at Wellesley was
limited, member of the faculty, had
been elected by the student body and
confirmed by the faculty as one OF
the fifty members of s Wellesley
economic investigation committee,
which was, 1t appeared. to conduct
systematic economic survey of the
United States. in an endeavor to
secure basis for plan to reduce the
cost Of living.
Students Are Anaered.
The irritation of the victims, Of
and of their families, especially Of
those whose parental pride had &C.
cepted the tale as not unlikely. haS
naturally been considerable. It is made
greater for many of the victims be-
cause this is at least the second oc.
cASion that they have thus received
honors bestowed only by this news
> An earlier instance was IN January
tas' wnen the agency sent out a story
" "AACA WdS lSlC lQQOQnlto.
when General PerisAtng's helmet and
STAFF flag and also "the imperial bat
tie pennon of the German emperor
were bestowed upon the college BY the
Agora Society. The story said a
touching eloquent and impressive
ADDRESS" was made on hebalf of the
college by a girl whose name was dir
ferent in each case.
AS a matter of fact. the publicity
department saws:
About the only facts were the nam
eS ana addresses gained from the COL
lege directory, though it was true. as
in an Associated Press dis
patch last October, that General Per-
Hh1ng's helmet and flag are in fha
sley." :"
Other Colleges Used.
Inc department says that it has
peen learned that similar stories have
been sent out by the agency concern.
Ing Smith College students and adds.
"A regular set of rules seems to
nave been established by the agency.
IN the first place, the story must not
De true, and must at the same time
not be actionable: should, in fact. be
supposedly fiattering 1t should have
some timely note. In using the college
uirectory the agency takes only one
na ,Ii 10 town and even to a city,.
the stories to as MANY as nossihIe ~
the papers which printed them. If has
also sent an explanation of the cir
to each of the Victims
Win the suggestion that thew turn II
over their home town papers for
their Information