The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-19
AN ATLANTA SOCIETY ROW.
Mrs. Porter ReSGntS a Slub and
Seeks Revenge.

She is Alleged to Have Induced a
Number of Popular Society Bellies
to Withdraw From an Extrava-
ganza - Discovering Mrs. Porters
Hand in the Affair, Eer Foes in
Society Induce the Girls to Resume
Their Parts.
Atlanta, Ga, Oct. 1s.-Mrs. S. H. Por-
ter, wife of President Porter of the Mer-
chants Bank, the lady whose connection
with the Harry Hill forgery case created
such a sensation several months ago, has
Just had her first open tilt with society
on account of that sensational affair, and
to all appearances society leaves the field
with Mrs. Porter pretty thoroughly van
quished Theaffair is all the talk in society
circles, and before Mrs. Porter and society
come to terms again there are sure to be
many things said that may be regretted
after the battle royal is over.
Society in which Mrs Porter has always
been an acknowledged leader. has been
divided since the Harry Hill case came to
a focus. Some have been more devotedly
attached to Mrs. Porter than ever before,
but others have taken an independent
stand, so to speak, without using any
more harsh term, until the whole truth is
brought out in the courts There h as
been no open ostracism by even this lat
ter branch of society however, Mrs
Porter coming and going Just as any
other woman sure of her position might.
A CHANGE IN THE SITUATION.
Matters took different course, few
weeks ago, when preparations We're begun
for the annual entertainment for the
benefit of the Georgia Normal and In
dustrial School at Milledgeville. This en-
tertainment is given to secure money to
send deserving girls to that institution.
1t is gotten up by local organization of
society women, and is always an event of
Importance, because it brings before the
footlights many of the most charming
young ladies Of the select social circle.
The direct management Of the entertain
ment is given into the hands of a board of
patrouesses, the reigning society leaders.
When the patronesses were selected this
year Mrs. Porter's name was not on the
list AS subsequent developments showed,
the ladies thought it would be best not to
make Mrs. Porter one of the select lead
ers while the Hill case is pending The
trial is set for the latter part of this
month, just about the date of the enter
tainment and whatever the result may
be, Mrs Porter is sure to be given great
deal of unpleasant notoriety on account
of it.
MRS. PORTER AROUSED.
Mrs. Porter took the action of the soci-
ETY. as direct CUT and to resent it she
set about to make trouble for the other
ladies. The young lady who had been
chosen to assume the title role in the ex-
trayaganza "Egyptia" was anear relative,
and without giving her reasons she read
lily persuaded her to withdraw, after she
had been rehearsing her part Then
others of the most popular
society girls were influenced to drop out
of the play, until yesterday the patronesses
found themselves totally deserted by the
many pnpular society girls with whom
they had begun rehearsals. just in time
however, they discovered Mrs. Porter's
hand in the case; they recognized in her
the influence which was at work against
them, and at the same time they prepared
little story for the ears of the young
ladies who had innocently been used by
the enemy, and now all have returned,
and society considers itself first best in
the preliminary skirmish. The story of
the tilt comes from a reliable source.
Gossip has been rampant over it for sew
eral days, and unless there is a decided
change of feeling on the part of those
who think Mrs. Porter undertook to
run over society rOugh-shod, the end of it
is not vet.