New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-10-11
FIGHTIN VETERANS UNION
SCENES OF WILD DISORDER AT ITS
CONVENTION.
AN ATTEMPT To SUSPEND GENERAL DY-
RENFoRTT, ITS COMMANDER n
CHIEF. LEADS To a RIOr-THE
ORDER SPLIT Up.

Washington, oct. lo-The sessions of the
Union Veterans Union. which is meeting here
at the same time as the Grand Army Of the Re
public enosmpmen;, were marked by scenes OF
wild disorder and confusion to-day. The pro-
oeedings al times became so heated that per
sonal encounters So med likely. The final re-
suit was a split in the organization. The first
row was over a question Of eligibility to mem
bership A resolution was adopted which let
down the hsrs too much 70 suit some of the
State delegations with a large membership in
the order This caused ~ feeling Later the
friction I'm The union developed rapidly. COM
mittee which had been investigating the char
acter and conduct of General r. - Dyrenforth.
the commander in chief adopted report rec
ommending his suspension from Office General
Dyrenfor;h. WAS presiding over the convention
when the committee endeavored to report. He
refused 70 recognize st or 20 surrendcr MS Office
10 the next ranking officer Of the order. Tur
bulent scenes followed until. finally large ele-
ment Of the organization withdrew. those re-
naming re-electing General Dyrenforth and the
seceders taking steps 10 form new union
THE BEGINNING OF THE TROUBLE.
An effort was made to amend the constitution
so 10 restore the six months service clause
as a basis for membership IN the organization.
After two hours discussion the proposition was
rejected. motion was then made and carried
TO permit sons Of members Of the organization
TO vote and otherwise take part in proceedings.
Another amendment WAS adopted admitting 10
membership sons-in-law and grandsons Of mem
bers, and any honorahly discharged soldier.
without regard 10 his service.
While the voting was going on members Of
the New-York. Ohio Illinois. Michigan. Iowa
and Pennsylvania delegations met in conference
proposition to withdrew from the organ
ization and affiliate with the Massachusetts de-
partment. which severed its connection with the
union after the Des Noines convention which
struck from the constitution the six months
service clause.
Before the convention met in the afternoon
the executive committee heard General Dyren-
forth. the commander in chief. in relation TO
charges which had been filed against him by the
Judge advocate general Of the Division of the
Potomac, alleging the use of arbitrary power
and rejecting on his personal character Later
the committee made a report recommending
that he be suspended as commander in chief
DYRENFORTH HOLDS THE FORT.
General Dyrenforth was Informed in open ses-
sion Of the action taken by General B. +. Huch-
inson OF Rochester. y. Y. deputy commander in
chief. who had been directed by the executive
committee 10 preside. Pandemonium followed
Every man was on HIS feet chairs were oyer
turned. and an effort was made 20 throw Gen
eral Hutchinson of the platform. He. however
raised heavy cane which he carried and thus
kent the crowd back. General Dyrenfortb re-
fused 10 recognize the committee 10 present It's
report and finally. after General Hutchinson had
been called on 10 preside, General Dyrenfortb
refused 20 make way for him. General Hutch
inson then left the hall. did the delegations
above named and the convention proceeded 20
elect a comnlander-in-chief. Harlow l. Street
and General Dyrenforth were put IN nornina-
ton
THE executive committee Of the order ,bera
upon declared that the election was Illegal ana
tbat uuder the constitution General Hutcbt,,
son Vas The legal commander I'm chief As tba
anti-Dvrenforth men fled out they said ma
theI would not remain in the organization undar
TOx-Tenforth or unless the six months ser,ica
clsnse was restored 10 the constitution
Ster order had been secured the conventto-
Nth General Dyrenforth In the chair. elected tb
following officers
-. ,s,,,,al Seputy-Ma5or General CHARLES =.
FHst trORRFST Of NeW-iork CITY -
$500 national deputy c FREEMAN. Of Io,i
vile. Ky.
.,,.r,,ti,e ro.nr7ittee-AI.BFlRT " COOK q C,-,-.
1 NARL.EN of Illinois. A Al pm -
~ Iowa: J.. ". ACIIESON. % kenlucEy JATFS ~
sHANNON. q Maine. DAME J. Hill. of N@9E ~ IA
TaYIOF ~ Minnesota: SAMUEL Il. PHI .SFsT.,1,, J.
- Nsx-F -FIau.rsilire: JAMES II. sTRITCTI - N.
Work. = : GRANT. os Ohio A. N. LEGG -. "
District - Columbia