The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-04
TRAVELLERS ASSOCIATION,
The Trouble Over the Charter
to Be Settled in the
Courts.
Secretary Lewis Says That 1t Is Not
Question of Race
Feeling.

The trouble that has been brewing with
the Travellers Protective Association of
America is to be tried in the courts under
the title of Martin Erlenbach ct ais. versus
E. NJ. Bachelor ct ais, the ct ais. being j.
Wolff in the one case and W. c. Lewis and
the Travellers Protective Association in
the other.
The cause of the trouble was the action
of the Grand Lodge of the association in
refusing to recognize Delegate Morris
Judah, when he presented himself at the
convention held in San Antonio, Texas,
Grand Chairman John Lee informing him
that the only recognized delegate was E. NJ.
Bachelor, representing the newly organ
lied California State division. In revok-
ing the old charter it was claimed that the
secretary of the California division had
neglected his duties; that he had retained
for the benefit of the local division more
than the correct proportion OF the dues by
some 10 per cent; that the division had
failed to remit for stationary, etc. This
was emphatically denied in the appeal pre-
sented to the San Antonio convention, by
Mr. Judah. The right OF the grand di-
vision to revoke the charter was queS-
toned, and especially without a hearing.
Circulars were issued calling upon all
mem bers sympathizing with the old lodge
to withdraw from the organization, and
Secretary Wolff, in an interview some time
since said it was the intention of all with
drawing members to secure a new member
and organize a branch OF the United
Commercial Travellers, whose headquar-
tiers are at Cleveland.
Secretary Wolff also said that the ques
ton of religious creed had been brought up
by Mr.. Bachelor, who said he did not
want to belong to an organization with
such a membership.
The officers of the old division have evil
IDENTIFY, reconsidered their intention of
withdrawing, as they have given Attorney
Max Blum instructions to push the case,
their PRAYER being for an injunction re-
straining the defendants from carrying on
the council and annulling the charter.
The case was called in Judge Troutt's
court Yesterday morning, but upon request
OF defendant Lewis, was continued until
Monday, July 8, at 10:30 A. NJ.
Mr.. Lewis, who is secretary of the newly
Organized State division, when seen yester-
day said: "This fight is not with the new
council at all, but is between the old lodge
and the Grand Council. We ought strictly
to have nothing to do with it. We couldn't
give up our charter if we wanted to- We
have engaged no attorney yet, but we will
have one all right, and good one.
1.-The statement of ex-Secretary Wolff
that it is a question of religion or race is
entirely wrong, as some of the brightest
and most honorable of our members were
and are of the creed in question. 1t is true
there are some of the old members that are
not desirable, but very few. Many of the
old council have come over to US. We
have some $50 members already and have
no doubts about winning the suits against
MS. Messrs. Braunhart, Wolff and Erlen-
bach are really the cause of all the trouble"
The organization is not connected in
anv wav with the Commercial Travellers
Association that recently had their success
full outing at Santa Cruz.