The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-22
ACTORS SOCIETY SPLIT UP.
PRESIDENT MALONE RESIGNS HIS
POST IN 4 HUFF.

u. publishes tho Pact, and Announces Ti,at
..the Open ana secret Animoaity OF Many"
ma, Driven Him Out-The Ambitious Aims or
the Organisation Likely to Come to NnuEht.
The Actors Society of America is an organ
,,,tion that was born after labor of several
years, Its projectors met and discussed their
cob,ect from every point Of view, and finally. less
Than a year ago, their society assumed q definite
toru and the existence of the Actors Society
Al America" commenced. John Malone was
s,ected President, and the government OF the
,ociety was vested in a board of fifteen.
There was soon talk OF discord In the associa-
,,on which had in its purpose the Improvement
NJ the actors condition and the strengthening Of
his position to defend his rights against the
managers who took advantage OF his necessities
In the way OF not paying salaries or compelling
him TO accept small compensation. The society
had started of with a public meeting at the
Broadway Theatre and such n hullabaloo about
equality and cooperation that the 6rst reports Of
disturbance came as q great surprise TO those
persons familiar with the long struggles to make
the organization q success.
One OF the most conspicuous workers for the
society was F. +. Mackey. He was elected Treas
urer after the society was formed, as he had held
that place for the three years in which n COM
mittee was employed In the effort to organize
the society, He was made Treasurer, and as he
did not care enough for the office to tic up the
o., 900 necessary to qualify and did not want to
ask anybody to go ON his bond, he was allowed
10 become Treasurer without u bond, tho word
required being substituted before bond in
order that his successor might DO called on for
the amount the society's directors thought
necessary. Mr.. Msckey was one day suddenly
asked TO give the necessary bond which II had
h,ap nnHarafnOh wnnld ha raised N hn arrRnfnh
the post Of Treasurer. Mr.. Mackey sent In his
resignation, but 1t was not accepted, and he was
that his resignation would not be accepted.
A Sun. reporter saw MIR. Mackcy yesterday.
ence. He declined to discuss the matter, as the
question Of his resignation is still pending.
One Of the incidents that best showed the state
not long ago at one Of the meetings of the Board
Of Directors. Permission had been given one of
the SiE q = 1se to IssY Business Il e snFSEsm atme 9 %b ss,
pc arose to go he apologized to his fellow mem
bers and had just taken up his o~ysercoat when
But" the member expostulated. ut was un-
derstood that I was to be excused. You under
stood that l had an engagement"
sCail an oficer TO arrest that man." was Pres
coming, the director escaped. But he was repri-
received q notice that he had been "reprimand-
cd, censured, and fined IS" for disrespect. This
notice was put on the bulletin board OF the club
and the member is now trying to have it taken
down through his lawyers efforts.
But the climax of the clubs troubles came last
Tuesday, when the President caused this notice
to appear in q dramatic paper:
To the Acfors' Society Of america:
Ihsreby tender my resignation a. President Of the
Actors Society Of America, to be in effect upon the
election OF my successor.
rtake this step in recognition OF the fact that IL il
impossible for me to occupy this position witrout
mourning the open and secret luminosity of many
persons in and out OF the society who seek TO impede
the interests Of the society because I am its Presi.
dent.
when I took this unsalaried office I was actuated
solely by = desire TO serve the cause OF honest and
decent drama It Is being industriously proclaimed
that / am using the society's name and the privilege
Of my position for my private interests and emolu.
ment.
As I have given much time and all my knowledge
and ability to the interests OF the society in a position
which receives no salary, I cannot endure this false
imputation nor permit the interests of the society TO
be IeopardiIed thereby. Very respectfully sub
mitted. JOIN MALONE.
A special meeting Of the society, to act on this
letter, will be held on May "a. Mr.. Malone has
declined to explain the letter, and says that it
contains all he has to say at present. A reporter
asked one of the members Of the Board of Di-
rectors how an unsalaried place could be used
for the advancement OF an officers private
interests and emoluments" The director an,
President was a lawyer he said. "aud was
paid for his services in attending to legal
business for the Association Suppose he wrote
to managers and actors about legal matters,
using the printed paper of the Actors Society OF
America : don't know or say that anybody did
those things. but suppose they did, wouldn't
there be grounds for q kick T.