REFUSAL OF BEQUEST

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28346, 3 August 1957, Page 13

REFUSAL OF BEQUEST

Salvation Army Decision

(Rec. 9 p.m.) MELBOURNE, August 2. The Salvation Army today refused to accept a bequest of several thousand pounds from one of its members who died Uss than three months after winning £lO,OOO in a Victorian lottery in May. “We must refuse to take even a penny of the money," said the officer in charge, Major B. Harewood, today. The man who left the money to the Salvation Army was a former Salvation Army colour sergeant, John Archer, of South Melbourne. He was 73. A few days after his win. be said that he had given none of the money to the Salvation Army. Mr Archer, who was a waterside worket for 33 yean, suffered a heart attack and died in a Melbourne hospital on July 8 Today, Major Harewood said that although Mr Archer had broken the Salvation Army’s rule banning gambling. He was hot disciplined. Mr Archer was very repentent and unhappy when I saw him juat after he won the money,” said Major Harewood. Today, Mr Archer’s landlady, Mrs Florence Purtell, who is 75, said she was going to fight for a half share of the money because sh. an- Mr Archer had always shared the cost of lottery tickets. Mr Archer had already given. her £l5OO. Mr Archer'a son and daughter said that they would seek a share of the estate.