The San Francisco call., 1897-07-30
MRS. PETTEE
WAS FIRED
Row in the Eureka Society
for the Protection of
Children.
0usted From the Presidents
Chair Because She Talked
Too Much.
Her Resignation Was Rejected in
Order That She Might Be
Expelled.

There was a nasty little tenn pest in
teapot yesterday at the meeting OF the
Eureka Society for the Protection of Chill
dren, which resulted in the president,
Mrs. John Pettee, being expelled from
the organization and in the election OF A.
r. Fredericks to the presidency.
The society, it will be remem bered, is
new organization, the objects of which
are the protection and care OF poor, neg
lected and abused children. From its
very beginning the spirit of discord has
hovered over the body. In fact, its very
inception was in a spirit of strife, the
mem mbers being those who went out OF the
California Society on account of the pres
ence of Secretary Welch, since removed.
When the new society was formed Mrs.
Pettee was elected as the president, but 1t
was not long before the other members OF
the board of directors began TO disap-
prove of her ways OF doing business, and
much dissatisfaction was expressed that
she did not fulfill the promises she had
m ade TO keep the society's exche4uer
filled. Another complaint was that she
interfered too much with the duties OF
the other officers.
Several days ago half a dozen directors
met and decided that it would be best to
call special meeting OF the society and
boost Mrs. Pettee out of office. The meet
ing was called for yesterday, and the
president got wind OF what was In the
breeze. She determined not 10 be out
done, so she was prepared with hot
blast for the directors, officers and the
whole crowd, and incorporated the same
in her letter of resignation.
When the letter was read at the meeting
Yesterday it produced sensation, for in
it she accused the officers of using the So
ciety for personal gain, and not for the
poor little children. For all this it was
the intention of letting her down easy,
and not making the distur bance public.
While the meeting was at fever heat it
was learned that Mrs. Pettee had poured
her tale OF woe into the ears OF an evening
paper reporter, and in such manner as
to cast serious reflections upon the whole
organization.
Then there was row. Lady Nom bers
stormed and the male contingent fumed.
Mrs. Nathan Schlessenger excitedly arose
and demanded of Mrs. Pettee ii she was
responsible for the newspaper publication.
The latter declined to answer, and she
was denounced by nearly all for her ut
terances. Finally Mrs. Schlessenger saw
way by which the dignity OF the society
could be maintained, and upon motion
another member was placed in the chair.
A second motion that Mrs. Pettee' s
resignation be not accepted was passed as
quickly as it was made, and a third mo-
ton declared the Office of president
vacant. The fourth motion was for the
expulsion of Mrs Pettee from the organi-
zation, and, like the others, it went
through without a dissenting voice, and
the late president quickly found herself
on the outside of the fold, so to speak.
OF course there were tears and denun-
citation, in which nearly all took more or
less part Once outside Mrs. Pettee had
many very bitter things to say but on the
inside the angel of peace quickly spread
its wings A R. Fredericks was elected to
fl 4 the chair vacated by Mrs. Pettee and
L. L. Moulton was elected as vice-presi-
dent, the former vice president, r. E.
Tutile, being obliged to go East very
shortly. And SO it is believed that the
matter ended.