The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-17
MARINE socIETY's UDDLE.
why Capt. B. f. Woodbury. was Not Ex-
PEELED from the Organization on Tuesday.

pel0U from tuc ofS vi AAOSNoys
The Portland Marine Society held its
annual meeting at the rooms OF the
Board of Trade on Tuesday afternoon
and although this honored society is now
1Ol years old, Tuesdays meeting was IN
dou btedly the most exciting of any in Its
history.
1t will be remembered that year ago
this month at the Tooth annual meeting
of the society Captain Benjamin Wood
bury desired to read before the society a
certain statement in regard to the man
ner in which the finances of the or2anl-
cation were being conducted. Captain
John ". Deering. the president OF the
society, ruled that Captain woodbury.
vas out of order when he endeavored to
present his statement at the meeting and
ordered him TO be seated. 1t is said that
Captain Woodbury. refused to be seated
when SO ordered by the president and
tn at in violation of the society bylaws
he perslated ia reading his statement.
Captain Wood bury claimed that the
Marine society had no right under its
charter to vote money to people not con-
nected W 18th the society and he also OPP
posed the appropriating of $500 OF the
society's money for giving banquet in
honor of the organization Tooth ami
versary. But this latter appropriation
was voted by the society and thereupon
Captain Woodbury. applied for an in
junction from the courts to prevent the
$500 being expended for thu celebration.
Tue petition for injunction was heard be-
fore Judge Strout who refused to grant
it, and the Marine society held its ban
quet at the ral mouth hotel as it had
planned to do.
Captain Woodbury., however. believed
himself to be in the right and brought
suit against the society for spending
money in a way, as Q claimed, that 1t
had no right to spend it under its
charter.
The hearing on this suit took place be-
fore Judge Haskell and attracted great
deal of attention at the time. Judge
Haskell threw the case out of court with
out costs, possibly hoping thereby to end
the matter. But Capt. Woodbury. was
not satisfied with the non -suiting of the
case and carried it on appeal to the Law
court. The matter was heard by this
court in July and decision in the case
is now pending.
Meantime, some six months ago, Capt.
Wood bury was suspended from the
society for disturbing It's peace, and
harmony, and for violating one of its by
laws. In the call for Tuesdays meeting.
which was issued by the finance CON-
mittee the members were asked to
assemble to transact certain business and
among other things "to see what action
would be taken in the case of b. f.
Woodbury."
This of course meant to see whether
Captain Woodbury. should be expelled
from the suciety or not. Only nineteen
members of the society were present al
this meeting, and it was the desire Of
some members of the society, so it Is
said, to eject Captain Woodbury. from
membership on Tuesday, but other mem.
bers who were present, thought it would
be much wiser for the society to wait and
see what is to be the decision OF the
Law court in the case now pending. be-
fore taking action on Captain Wood.
Dury's expulsion. The arguments for
and against continuing this matter are
said to have been very warm, and the
meeting was long extended and very
exciting. AS the bylaws of the society
req uire that member can only be ex
PEELED from the society at it's annual
meeting. those in favor of immediate
action on Captain Woodbury's case were
opposed to postponement. The mattol
YVES finally put to vote and fifteen voted
to adjourn the meeting until February IL
before voting on Captain Woodbury's case
Four voted against postponement. Those
who voted for q postpo neinent thought
that should the society vote to expe
Captain Woodbury., and that gentleman 4
suit against the society should later bt
sustained by the Law court, the society
would be putting itself in very awk
ward position if they expelled the person
who brought the suit. The society will
now wait with great interest the Law
courts decision on Captain Woodbury. 4
case.
Junior Order American Mech anics.