The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-08-14
FAIR FAIR MANAGERS.
Wrangling Which Has Resulted
from the Couzins Affair.
FAoT1ONAL FIGHTING FREQUENT.

Mrs. Meredith Is Charged with Malice
by South Carolina Maiden, and Is
Described by Mrs. Ball as Cruel, Mer-
oiless and vindiotive."
CHICAGO, Aug 14-The telegraphic ac-
counts of the late unpleasantness In the
board of lady managers Of the fair have
necessarily been of such a fragmentary
character that the public generally is
much bewildered as TO what It was about.
A brief, clear and consecutive narrative of
the facts IN the case has been secured from
one of the members of the board
The present trouble is largely contin.
uation of the Phoebe CoUzins quarrel,
which caused so much unpleasantness
shortly after the formation of the board.
Mrs Meredith, of Indiana, one of the par
ties to the late unpleasantness, was an ac-
tive agent in the removal of Miss Cousins
from the secretaryship Of the board. Mrs.
Ball, of Delaware, was equally as active
on Miss Couzins side at the time, and has
ever since occupied position of antsgon-
ism to the opposition party. When, a
few months ago, the committee of awards
of the women's board was formed, Mrs
Ball was made member of it and was
subsequently elected its secretary. Mrs
Meredith was the chairman of the commit
tee which had the duty of selecting two
managers
Almost as soon as the committee entered
upon its work the old antagonism came to
the front and soon produced strained relas
tions between its members These-dve
in number were Mrs Meredith, Mrs.
Ball, Mrs. Ginty, of Wisconsin; Mrs.
Stevens, of New Jersey, and Mrs. Fosdyke,
of Alabama. The present trouble came
before the board in the following manner;
Miss Cunningham, member from South
Carolina, made in open session a rather
Incorporate protest against the non-repre-
sentatiou of the state on the jury Of
awards, charging Mrs. Meredith, chairman
of the awards committee, with malice in
the matter.
This precipitated the first public row,
| the old Couzins faction rallying to the aid
of Miss Cunningham, while the conserva-
! tive element AS speedily arranged itself
/ under Mrs. Meredith's banner, with much
| bitterness, excitement and recrimination
upon both sides Mrs. Meredith made a
scathing arraignment Of Mrs. Ball, the
secretary of awards. She stated that from
the very outset Mrs. Ball had been inimical
l to the interest of the committee and
| openly allied with its enemies.
The nervous tension of the board was
now intensified by the general understand
/ ing that Mrs. Ball would speak in reply,
supporting Miss Cunningham's charges
of malice against Mrs. Meredith" The
| opportunity for this speech from Mrs
! Ball did not occur, and when 1t was, never
theless, published, the fight was on in,
deed. Mrs. Ball made another speech
more bitter than the published enc She
disclaimed responsibility for the latter
and Miss Cunningham sprang up amidst
Kisses and loud cries of shame" to say
she, herself, was the person who had fur
nished type written copies of Mrs Balls
intended speech to the press Mrs Bal
wound up with an Indictment of Mrs
Meredith as a "cruel, merciless, vindictivl
woman"
Mrs. Banks, the member in charge Of
the press interests of the board, oame init
the wrangle to the extent of making a
statement of her connection with the
affair. That let Mrs Banks out, but the
row went on with unabated fury, and a
report from the committee on awards ask.
ing that Mrs. Ball 'be excused from fur
ther service" brought things to a climax
This document was signed by every mem
Der of the committee, excepting, of course
Mrs. Ball. and was finally adopted after G
terrific struggle, constituting a virtual
impeachment of that lady. On the follow
ing day, on what she considered public
ViDdcation, Mrs. Meredith Withdrew the
so called report, thus restoring things tC
! Statu QUO.