Erma Wood is the sister-in-law of Declan O'Toole, a criminal gangster (a fact not well known). She was appointed Senior Social Worker in Charge of the Bowery under the Relief Commission.

The city gave her title to the old “Gotham Screen Door Company” factory and a generous budget, supplemented by a cash grant from Silas Wayne to turn the building into a comprehensive shelter and aid center to be known as “Quarter.” Erma, who was not a trained social worker by any means, pocketed the money, threw the doors of the factory open to anyone who wanted to flop there and called her job finished.

She has been living high on the hog ever since, throwing fancy parties, visiting the best clubs etc. Silas Wayne has attempted to get her prosecuted for fraud but has had no luck, and the papers have printed a few damning stories about her.