The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-20
TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT.


| Candidates-Several Women Resign.
| NEW YORK, May 19-The Times says 1t
has just leaked out that there was lively
] session of Sorosis at the business meeting
last Monday. Mrs. Jennie De ia NJ. Lozier.
| the president of the society. was absent.
as were the three vice presidents, go Mrs.
| Fannie /. Helluth. chairman of the execu-
| tive committee occupied the chair. Imme.
diately after roll-call Mrs. Hclluth de-
manded that Mrs. Sarah Kidder. of Chica.
60. should retire from the meeting. Her
reason for making the demand was that
| Mrs. Kidder was q remote member, and,
| therefore. not entitled to attend the busi-
| ness meetings. This was the beginning of
the unpleasar tness. Several of the ladies
arose and protested against the ruling.
| one of them making the caustio remark:
Mrs. Kidder has been O member of Sorosis
more years than the chairman has. and has
| quite as much right to attend its meet
| lngs. Mrs. Helluth held to her point, and
| Mrs. Kidder retired, although there were
| audible expressions of "Sit still.' Don't
you Co." he hasn't any business to order
| you out" all of which was not pleasant for
the chairman.
AS this was to be the last business meet
| ing for several months there was long
list of names to be voted upon for mem ber-
| ship. The first candidate was Miss Lotta
| Crabtree. Her name had been proposed by
| Mrs. Edward l.. kidder and her voucher
| were Mrs. Sidney Rosenfeid and Mrs. A. Nj.
| Palmer. Miss Georgia Cayvan. who is a
| member Of Sorosis. sent letter enthusiast
ically recommending Miss Crabtree 1t Is
| the custom of SOrOsis to discuss the qualit-
| cations of q candidate before the name Is
| voted on. The only objection made to Miss
Crabtree was that she was an actress. but
! Golemnly announced: Ladies, the candi-
date Is not elected" For a moment there
/ was silence. or as near an approach to 1t as
| was possible In a gathering or more than
| $50 women. Then q long-drawn murmur of
dissent and protest ran around the room.
Mrs 4. h. Kidder sprang TO her teet.
| She was trembling with excitement. This
| is outrageous" she exclaimed, The most
outrageous thing ever heard OF. Iresign
| my membership. / won't belong TO an
| orGanization that will be guilty Of Buch a
| thing"
II am sorry" said Mrs. A. NJ. Palmer.
| with flashing eyes, that Sorosis can be SO
| little, SO narrow, so mean. l also resign.
| Pm ashamed of Sorosis."
| Mrs. Rosenfeld declared that the club
| Had offered an Insult to her as voucher;
| an insult which she would never forget
One of the members. who seemed to de-
| sire peace, proposed a second ballot. Her
| motion was adopted and o second ballot
was taken with the same result as before.
| When this result was announced the
ladies' with the exc OF! IN of the few who
| had cast black balls--it only requires five
| to defeat q candidate speechless
with rage. They simply sat and glazed.
Evidently they thought they could not DO
| the subject justice in words.
The chairman fastened to announce the
| name of the second candidate, Mrs. John
| Dillon. The usual commendatory letters
| regarding the candidate were read. the
vouchers said their good words and no body
iuterDoSaQ hen
balloting was concluded. the chairman
made the announcement: "The candidate
| is not elected" There were moro bitter
| remarks. so bitter that the chairman felt
| called upon TO announce that any mem Der
| Of SOrosis had the right TO biackball can
| dldate If she wanted to. and. TO Quell the
| storm, the chairman gave the third name
| on the list OF appiicants-Mrs Thaddeus B.
| Wakeman. Mrs. L. B. Foote arose and
| said that it had been stated in her hearing
| that Mrs. Wakemsn's name should not pass
the club. In view of this she requested the
| member VINO had proposed Mrs. Wakeman
| to withdraw W her name. ''leet Sorosis should
| further disgrace itself by insulting Mrs.
| Wakeman as two previous candidates had
been In suited"
The ladies present were furious when the
application of Miss Crabtree was defeated;
| they were still more furious when Mrs. Dill
| Ion was refused, but they were in condi-
| tiOn approaching frenzy when Mrs. Wake
| mans name was thus disposed of. The
| lines OF CuBhiDgs manual were forgotten.
Many of them jumped to their feet, their
| cheeks flushing, and with voices pitched
much above the ordinary key. spoke vigor-
| ously and plainly without the customary
| preface. It required all the strength of the
| presidents lungs TO make herself heard
when she spoke the name of the fourth can
didate. This was none other than Miss
Alice Carey Croly. called "the granddangh-
| tex of Sorosis" because she is the daughter
of Jennie June" Croly. the organizer of
Soross. Il wish TO say" remarked the
president. that Alice Carey Croly was
named by Sorosis in honor of It's first presi.
dent. We surely ought TO take care of our
own"
A semblance of order having bcen
stored IL was suggested that 1t would be a
graceful compliment to Mrs. Croly If the
club were TO set aside its rules and elect
Miss Alice by reclamation. Cries of no.
no. no." were uttered by many voices. and
chaos reigned again. Custodian of the bal
lot boxes affected by the excitement, ran
about wildly, and, in q number of in
stances, offered the boxes 10 the same Ia
dies several times Few seemed to know
afterward how many times they voted or
whom they voted for. and the great ma
jority are still unaware whether Miss Croiy
was elected or not. not having heard the
announcements of the result If any was
made. 1t being apparent that order was
out of the question for that day at least.
the names of other candidates for admission
were withdrawn by their prOposers and the
ladies pressed toward the exits.
$4,000 Slander Suit Dtsmissed.