Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-01
MRS. BALL EXPELLED
SENSATIONAL INCIDENT AT
CLOSE OF CONVENTION.
Charges Preferred Against Mrs. Lewis
Said to Be Cause
Of Action.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

NEW HAVEN, Conn, October Upon
the reassembling of the Women's National
Auxiliary at 2:40 o'clock yesterday after
noon, after the recess for lunch, action
was taken expelling Mrs. Isabel Worreh
Ball from the organization. This action
came in the nature of a surprise, as on
motion of Mrs Levy 1.-The incident had
been declared closed just before adjourn
ment of the forenoon session, and mat
motion was understood to have carried
with it Mrs Balls reinstatement into full
membership.
The charges which Mrs. Ball preferred
against Mrs. Lewis the president general
at the morning meeting were the cause Oh
her expulsion, the members say. Notwlth-
standing the fact that Mrs. Bah WlthdreW
the charges with a pronounced apology
after they had been read to the meeting
the members discussed the matter during
the recess and decided to GUST Mrs Ban.
bag and baggage; Those VINO Iea ,, inns
movement declared that the charges nav
ing been openly read in the meeting, stain
had been cast upon the president-generai
that could only be eradicated by eraalcat-
ing Mrs. Ball.
ernoon session Mrs. Isabelle Alexander OF
Cleveland, Ohio, the new president general
arose and on behalf of Mrs. Ban, P:o-
pounded a question of information. ono
said the incident between Mrs. Ball aE8
certain national officers, including MIS-.
Lewis, having been declared closed, MIS-;
Ball desired to know her status, anu
whether she was reinstated member AFTER
her suspension by the national council.
This sally stirred up a hornets nest among
the delegates and officers, and Mrs. Ban
resignation was forthwith demanded. She
positively declined to resign, as the actloil
of the convention before the noon recess
had left her in statu quo she said. AS IL
was a serious matter Mrs. Ball requested
that no hasty action be taken.
At this point one of the national oiilceIs
sprang to her feet and moved that MRS.
Ball be expelled from the organizauoll.
There was instantly a scene OF excitement
during which Mrs. Ball, who sun nad the
floor, demanded suspension OF Judslnent'
and that the members refrain from actlon
until the new president should be elected.
A defense was made by friends or Mrs.
Ball in the convention, but without aVaii.
A vote was then taken on the motloh 10
expel and it was carried. The courtesy OF
the convention was extended to Mrs. BAH
by Mrs Lewis, who proposed that sne re.
main a member of the auxiliary until maj
adjournment. At this juncture mrs BAN
ACCOMPANIED by Mrs. Fanny Parker, Mrs
Harriet L. Scribner and others adherents,
left the hall
The case of the Mary Sherman Miles aux
iliary of Washington, d. c., which was
suspended several weeks ago by the council
of administration, was then called up Al
ter some discussion the convention de-
clined to go into this matter and referred
it to the incoming council for action
The convention next went into the cleo
tion of officers with the following result:
President general, Mrs. Isabelle AleXan-
der of Cleveland, Ohio; senior vice presl-
dent general, Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey,
general. Miss Mary T. Dineen, Brooklyn.
n Y inspector general, Mrs. Eliza v.
Hodgson, Washington, d. G.; judge advo-
cate general Mrs. Elroy M. Avery. Cleve-
1I,a N11;, ice a
Lane. Boston, Mass; surgeon general. Dr.
Anita Newcomb MCGEE Washington, D. C.;
treasurer general, Mrs. Margaret Bright
Cleveland. Ohio: national conductreSs. Mrs.
Mayme Burke Lewis, Washington ID. C.;
guard. Miss May Rysing, New York; color
bearer Mrs. Libbie Porter. Washington, d.
c. Council of administration: Miss Harriet
E. Hawley. Washington. D. c.: Mrs. Mamie
Walsh. Ohio: Miss Agnes l. Little, Wash
ington D. c.: Miss Emma Miller, Cleveland,
Ohio: Mrs. Mary b. Thornay, New York;
Mrs. Barry, New York city; Miss Cornelia
Clay Washington, D. c.; Miss Mamie
Egelton. Toledo, Ohio, Mrs. May Dewitt
Massachusetts; recording secretary general
Miss Clara Bailey, Cleveland. Ohio; CORE
spending secretary general Miss May
Lowrey, Cleveland, Ohio.
A splendid tribute was paid to Mrs Eliza
V. Hodgson. Wife of Major Fred S. Hodg-
son, commander of the District of Columbia
Corps Spanish War Veterans, who was
the national auxiliary. Mrs. Hodgson was
unable to attend the convention owing to
Illness in her family.
The Ohio delegation to the convention
presented to Mrs. Flora A. Lewis, the re-
firing president general, a handsome gold
badge. Miss Clara Bailey made the pre-
sentation speech, to which Mrs. Lewis feel
ingly RESPONDED.
The scene in the convention at the morn
ing session when Mrs. Balls charges
against Mrs. Lewis were read is described
as touching. Nearly all the officers and
delegates were in tears and the sobbing
could be heard by the reporters in the ad
joining hallway.
The charges against Mrs. Ball, which
were filed at the morning session. alleging
Irregularities under the laws of the associ-
alton were signed by Mrs. Allyn K. Capron
Mrs. F. S. Hodgson, Mrs Celynda Werner
Ford Mrs. Georgia b. Johnson, Mrs. Ce-
Nleste Ferris and Mrs. Mayme Burke Lewis
all of Washington. After a short meeting
at the New Haven House last night the
convention was declared adjourned sine die.