BOGUS CHARITIES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 96, 6 April 1934, Page 5

BOGUS CHARITIES

Begging Letter Writers LONDON, March 26. A recent case before the Law Courts concerning begging letters, when a titled woman was sent to prison, has resulted iu the revelation that the Charity Organisation Society has dossiers of more than 60,000 begging letter writers and promoters of bogus charities. The methods of these people are ingenious and clever. One is a versewriting officer who conducts his business on a large scale. He has a staff to send out a booklet of poems. When kini-uoarted people buy a copy for a few shillings they always receive by the next post a request for a loan of £lO. This man’s ‘‘business’’ has continued for more than 20 years. Ho even has a foreign department. Another is the “Rent Book Lady.’’ She sends out hundreds of rent books showing various arrears because “my husband has just died.” Alternative, ly her husband is dying of cancer. The society at one time received £3O in one day for this case, “if proved genuine.”

Many thousands of pounds are paid away by people who do not seek the society’s verification. Another man specialises in country clergy. He sends appeals, asserting that they had him or prepared him for confirmation. So far he has been “christened” more than 50 times.