New-York tribune., 1921-02-24
Mrs. J. S. Speyer,
Notable for Her
Philanthropy, Dies
Founded FirstW orking Girls
Club i'm u. S. and Was Ac-
tive in Hospital Aid and
Other Charities of City

Mrs James S. Speyer, who had been
active in many kinds of welfare work
for forty years. died yesterday at her
home, 1868 Fifth Avenue, after an ILL
ness of three months.
She was born in Lowell, Mass, the
daughter Of J. Dyneley and Mary
Travers Prince. Her first husband,
John A. Lowery, died in 1892. Four
years later, when she was proprietor
of tearoom in this city. she met Mr..
Speyer. They were married in 1897.
Although far from robust, Mrs,
Speyer was tire1ess in her devotion to
the relief of suffering. She was one
of the founders of the Hospital Sat
urday and Sunday Association. now the
United Hospital Fund, aud had been
treasurer of its women's auxiliary
since its organization, forty years ago.
First Working Girls Club
The first working girls club in the
United States was founded by Mrs.
Speyer and the late Miss Grace H.
Dodge thirty seven years ago. She
served as president and as treasurer of
this organization, known as the Irene
Club, and never lost her interest in
it, attending its monthly meetings un-
less she was too IL TO do so. It's men,
bers gave her a silver loving cup when
the club celebrated its thirty-fifth an
niversary.
Mrs. Speyer was one of the founders
of the New York Skin and Cancer
Hospital, which was established about
thirty-fve years ago. For more than
twenty-five years she had been treas
urer of St. Marks Free Hospital for
Children and each year she arranged
an entertainment for the benefit of the
hospital.
In 1898, when war was declared
against Spain, Mrs, Speyer, Mrs. White
law Reid and others established Amer
lean Red Gross Auxiliary No. 5 for
the maintenance of trained nurses. 1t
vas regarded as the most important
Speyer was its president She received
letter of appreciation from President
Mckinley for her work.
She was one of the ce-presdents
of the girls branch of the Public
Schools Athletic League. 1t was or
ganized in her home about fifteen
years ago and it's annual meetings
always nave been held there.
In 1910 Mrs. Speyer and others in
terested in humane education and the
protection of animals from cruelty
founded the New York Women s
League for Animals. She was elected
president of the league and held that
Office until her death. The league
built a free hospital in LAFAYETTE
Street for the treatment of the pets
of the poor.
Aided Actors Fund
Che was much interested in the
Actors Fund and was chairman of its
woman's committee during the war
Mrs. Speyer was the first to note the
hardshlps which the men of the Is;
! Provisional Regiment were suffering in
| their forgotten winter patrol OF the
| aqueduct. She was a founder of the
aqueduct Guard citizens committee of
/ Westchester and Putnam counties
which rendered the lot of the aqueduct
guard less hard, and frequently visited
their camps herself. Officers and m mer
called her the mother of the regiment
/ The Loomis Sanatorium, the Tuber
! culosls Preventorium for Children. a.
Lakewood, n. j.; the University Settle.
ment, the Childref's Aid Society, the
New York League of Women Workers
/ tn National League on Urban Condi.
tlons Among the Negroes, the Lisa Day
Nursery, the Working Girls Vacations
Society and the Authors League were
some of the other organizations and
institutions in which Mrs. Speyer took
an active interest,