New-York tribune., 1922-04-07
Golden Rules
Aims Catherer
Is Fined $500
Pastor. 62, Pays, in Prefer
cncc TO 90 Days in Jail,
for Putting Out Blind Mile
Boxes Wiihou, License
Wilhholds Cash Records
Denies Getting $40, 900 Last
Year and Declares He Is
Victim Of '!Chariiy Trust"

The Rev. Edwin G.. Holman. Pres
byterian clergyman, who has been
gathering aims in the name Of the
helpless blind. was fined $500 yesterday
in the Washington Heights police
court by Magistrate Obcrwsger, who
found HIM guilty of soliciting funds
without q permit. The clergyman is
treasurer of tho Golden Rule Alliance,
rs Fifth Avenue. offered The choice
Of the fine or y jail sentence Of ninety
days, he paid the fine at once.
Mr.. Holman was arrested last week
by a detective Of the Department Of
! Public Welfare. Mr Holman declared.
the detective aid, that he hoped TO
establish home for the blind, but that
seven years collections had failed 10
carry tne project far enough along to
acquire site.
Uaed Mite Boxes
No charge Of misappropriating funds
was involved in the case Under law
passed in 1921 no individual or organi-
cation may solicit funds or financial
assistance in public places without a
license. The complaint charged that
the Golden Rule Alliance received con-
trlbut,ons through mite boxes" about
a thousand Of which were distributed
throughout the city, which bore cards
asking help for the blind.
When Mr.. Holman took the stand
Yesterday, he contradicted testimony
given on Wednesday by The~esa S.
State Commission for the Blind, that
the Golden Rule Alliahce had received
$4,000 last year. but that onl5 81 900
OF 1T mad been used for charitable pur-
poses. They took in only $4,000 last
year he testified. and 81 900 was srert
for charity and s 1000 for "overncad
expenses.
An application for q permit alleged
| 10 have been signed by Mr.. Holman
was produced in court in which was the
sworn statement that s5.08a9S had
been collected. He explained that the
an erence between this sum and the
$4,000 he had previously mentioned wa.
represented by 81 200 in clothing and
mefcnand'se' No permit was granted
Says He Gets No Salary
Mr.. Holman said he received no
salary from the Golden Rule Allisnce
and that he contributed to it himself
IRON $3.50 to $500 year. IN add
WI W h'S NuliSS as treasurer, ne IL
also lecturer. magazine writer and
editorial writer. he said. He had or
Ganizcd the Golden Rule Alliance in
1913, and no one here had ever before
asked that the mite boxes" be removed.
IN New Jersey, however. they had been
ordered taken down.
The charity trust" he declared, op-
posed his undertaking, which brought
the remark from Magistrate Obcrvaecr
that the finances Of any charitable or
ganization could be ascertained in five
minutes. The magistrate declined the
wltness's invitation to join the Golden
Rule Alliance at that point
Records Not Produced
When DR.. Samuel Buchler. Deputy
Commissioner Of Markets, who was
counsel for Mr.. Holman, asked that
sentence be suspended, he was curtlv
refused on the ground that no effort
had been made to produce the alliances
records
MIR. Holman formerly was collector
for the international Sunshine Society,
receiving 25 per cent of his collections
s commission. He was ordained
Congregational minister in 1853, but in
1910 transferred to the Presbyterian
faith. he holds no pulpit at present.
He is sixty-two years old and lives at
157 West Twelfth Street.
The Tribune received q letter yes
terday from the Golden Rule Clubs
of America, Inc, Cedar Rapids, Iowa,
saying that the clubs had no connec-
ton with the Golden Rule Alliance.