Year: 1875

WHAT FOUNDERS or THE ASSOCIATION FOR I'M


PROVING THE CONDITION or THE POOR HAyR


TO SAY or ITS STATUS.


The HERALD Of yesterday contained statement from
some or tho gentlemen connected officially and other
wise with the "socely for Improving the Condition or
the Poorm in which the management or its affairs BY
Mr. Robert NJ Hartley Secretary and chief agent,
was made 10 appear rejecting severely upon tho
business character of Mr. Hartley


The meeting Of the society at which the report was
obtained having been, usual, secret meeting and
the report ha-ng been obtained from individual mem
bers after the adjournment thought set to havo
the prominent members called for a direct and
responsible statement OF the OF the seemingly
very serious trouble. Messrs Minturn Benedict and
others were called upon for facts


The statement made by Hon. Erastus O. Benedict ono
Of the socety's founders to cover the ground
gone already. Mr. Benedict said that he had been
connected with the society from the commencement
and had been familiar with its affairs He was also al
the meeting at which the unpeasantness had occurred
and could the reporter that there was no charge
that Mr. Hartley had misapproprated the funds OF tho
society recently any time within the past thirty
years. 1t was true, he said, that Mr. Robert Min
turn had spoken somewhat warmly against Mr.
Hartey's management, but in the most fervents
heat OF the discussion there charge that Mr..
Hartley had been in any sense, dishonest. II true
the receipts OF the society during the past year
had not been large the previous year, and lao
would not be surprised they less thus year
than the last But that was in a very great degree
! because Of the very serious dulness in business
OF all legitimate kinds The real Of the unpleas-
antness exhibited al the meeting was, he sure,
because Mr. Hartley, in his position Of agent in chief
Of the society, had made some changes IN the list Of
gentlemen who had been made ward agents without
consulting the society Such, however, had been bis
during thirty years and the society had aways
sustained him in IL for the reason that as he was de-
voting his whole time to the work BE was believed to
be more familiar with Its needs than any other nefA
ber II often necessary TO ill the places OF per-
sons who died as the vacancy known, and
4 that the authority used by Mr.. Hartley, who al
WAYS reported what had been done at tho
\ following meeting of the society. In order
1 that the readers Of the HERALD might know how
necessary il that all the positions the several
wards from the Battery 10 Harlem Bridge should be
effectively filed, ne would say that the total number Of
families visited by the socieys agents since lS43 tho
time of its formation, 254 l02 and the number of
persons visited, 029 I0S The number OF visits made,


in all 924, sos and the amount Of money expended
in relief was 81, ,553 Sl3


He felt that IL would be great misfortune ifths
very great usefulness OF the society should be essened
by any wrong impressions concerning its members
officers, ana he hoped that the HERALD as IN other
cases would IL that the poor not made TO
suffer simply through temporary misunderstanding
between gentlemen concerning their personal
powers He was sure that the Misunderstanding was
not concerning the honesty and integrity of any ono
concerned It's management and hoped that IL woule
be so understood by The public.