New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-05-20
Army and Navy
Club Charges
Before Banton
2 Members File Complaints;
Say They Told Specific
Instances of Larceny
and Other Illegal Acts
Governors Asked to Reply
Former Report Said 10 Allege
u. $. Was Defraudcd Of
$1,000 on Life Members

That the dissatisfied members Of the
Army and Navy Club mean business
was shown yesterday, when two of the
signers Of the petition sent to the
board Of governors alleging irregulari-
ties appeared at the Office of the Dis
:rict Attorney Banton to press the
charges in connection with the clubs
finances.
Captain Victor Barcas and Corn
n-snder E H. Delany were the COM
plainants. and. according to a state
ment they made to reporters, they re-
lated specific instances with names.
dates and amounts" 10 John Car
starpher, Assistant District Attorney.
&c whom they were referred BY Mr..
Bsrton after they had given him a
brief outline Of their accusations
Banton Asks Concrete Evidence
81 told Captain Barcas and Com
inender Delany that there would have
to be concrete evidence Of the commits
sion Of crime before any prosecution
could be gone INTO" said Mr.. Bsnton
They told their story, and it will be
investigated ! am also inviting mem
hers of the hoard Of governors of the
club TO come here on Monday and make
any statement they may care to make.
Botli tho complaining members de-
clsred that they had endeavored in
every way possible 10 set matters
Strengthened out within the club itself
before giving the case any publicity or
making charges. They said that they
we're forced TO act because the griev-
snce committee Of the club had thus
far failed to repor, or the fact that it
has in its possession voluminous re-
port made by ior Frank {. lIenke.
who is not member Of the club. but
who was asked TO investigate its mem
hership drive. and who is alleged TO
have arraigned the management Of the
club IN the most scathing terms This
report is said to have been in the
hands Of every member OF the griev-
ance committee since March Is. and.
according TO the compla inants. sub
stimulates every charge they have made.
Mr. Carstarphan is anxious to get
copy of this report from some member
of the committee. the chairman Of
which is Martin Vogel. former As
slstant United States Treasurer.
Charge Destruction of Records
Destruction of records and accounts
OF the club. TO cover larcenies and
forgeries. is said to have been alleged
by Captain Barcas and Commander De-
lany in their conference with the Dis
trict Attorney. One former member of
the club, who acted in an executive
capacity, is said to have been accused
of classifying vouchers SO as to pocket
amounts of money due merchants and
tradesmen Another charge is that a
man expelled many years ago for ir-
Irregularities got back into the club dur
ing membership drive which brought
into the club 1900 new members. pay
ing $4,000 in dues, at cost of $4,000.
This man it is alleged, was later dis.
covered never to have been in the serv-
ice OF the United States.
Other accusations. it is said deal
with alleged maltreatment of photo
graphs and last letters of officers who
died on the battlefield. and which were
sent to the club by relatives in con
.nectlon with a proposed memorial
fund and memorial room.
One of the chares Major Henke is
sald TO have made in his report VIZ
that the Federal government had been
defrauded out of approximately $500
tax on life members, according to the
comp ainants