Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-17
THE ANGRY LADY MANAGERS.
What Caused the Row Among the
Worlds Fair Women.
An Outgrnwth Of the Phwbe Couzin
Case--Ehe Contest Between Mrs. Bal
and Mrs. Meredith.

An outgrowth of the Phmbe couzins
Case--rhe Contest Between Mrs. Ball
and Mrs. Meredith.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Aug 13.-rhe Board
of Lady Managers OF the Worlds Fair
has adjourned To September goth, Mrs.
| Potter Palmer brought this action by
reading the news from the Treasury De-
partment at Washington from which
she drew the conclusion that the board
must adjourn or stay in session at its
own expense. The adjournment puts
an end for time to the unpleasantness
in the board.
This unpleasantness has been deplored
on all sides. Ii began with the Phoebe
| Couzins quarrel shortly after the forma-
ton of the board. Mrs. Meredith of In
diana, one of the party in the late uh-
| pleasantness, was an active agent in the
removal Of Miss CouZins from the secre-
taryship Of the board. Mrs. Ball of Dell
aware, was an equally active fighter on
Miss Couzins' side, and has ever since
occupied position of antagonism
towards Mrs. Meredith.
When few months ago the commit
tee on awards of the woman's' board
was formed, Mrs. Ball was made a
| /
elected its secretary. Mrs. Meredith
was chairman of this important com
mittee, which had the duty of selecting
the woman jurors. At once the old an
tagonism came to the front. The mem
bers were Mrs. Meredith, Mrs. Ball, Mrs.
Ginty of Wisconsin, Mrs. Stevens OF
New Jersey and Mrs. Fosdick of Ala.
bama. Mrs. Ball was opposed by the
other members as unit.
The public knew nothing of the
trouble unity Miss Cunningham, {
member from South Carolina, made ii
open session OF the board a protes
against the Misrepresentation Of the
State on the juries of awards, charging
Mrs. Meredith with malice in the matter
, The Couzins faction at once rallied Il
the aid OF Miss Cunningham, while tn,
| conservative element as speedily ranget
! itself under Mrs. Merediths banner
with much bitterness, excitement ant
recrimination upon both sides. Mrs
Meredith made scathing arraingmen
of Mrs. Ball, stating that from the yer,
outset Mrs. Ball had been inimical :
the interests of the committee and openl
allied with its enemies.
The nervous tension of the board wa
: now intensified by the general under
I standing that Mrs. Ball would speak /
e reply, Supporting Miss Cunningham
Y charges of malice against Mrs. Mere
q dith." The opportunity for this speec
$ from Mrs. Ball did not occur, but it wa
! day. Then Mrs. Ball made speec
i even more bitter than the publishe
2 one. She disclaimed responsibility fc
| h,nl 10 I'D Htt,,
e up, amid misses and cries of "Shame
to say that it was she who furnishe
II typewriter copies of Mrs. Balls il
= tended speech to the press. Mrs. Ba
n wound up with an indictment of Mr.
re Meredith as 'cruel, merciless woman,
le concluding with an attack upon Mr.
lie Nancy Huston Banks, the member {
le the board in charge of its press interest
y whom she charged with having give
Z, : the article to the reporters. This WI
obviously absurd, following Miss Gu
e- ningham's admission that she herse
to was the guilty party, but Mrs. Bank
". nevertheless, came into the wrangle
'ls the extent of making statement of b
'ss connection with the affair. This W
eS an earnest effort, looking towards 4
suppression OF the article, as was plain
in the line of her duty as press repI
:. sentative of the board.
" A report from the committee
~, awards, asking that Mrs. Ball "be g
,o cused from further service" broug
af things to climax. This document "
NJ ~ signed by every member of the col
81 mittee excepting, of course, Mrs. Ba
10 and was finally adopted after a terri
tes struggle, constituting virtual impeaC
' 56 ment of that lady. On the followi
m day, on what she considered pub
nts vindication, Mrs. Meredith withdrt
the so-called report, thus restori
he things to statu quo.