Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-15
Troubles in Women's Auxil-
larry to Spanish War Veterans.
OFFICER SUSPENDED
HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT AND
WHY.
Charges Against District Organization
and It's President-The Meet
ing Last Night.

The troubles In the WOmen's Auxiliary to
the Spanish War Veterans of this city
have reached a serious and sensational
stage. The difficulties were brought to
focus at special emergency meeting or
Mary Sherman Miles Auxiliary, No. 8. to
General Nelson A. Miles Command. No. I.
held last night at the residence of Mrs.
Celynda Werner Ford. COS Massachusetts
avenue northeast. A prominent member
of the organization when seen today ex-
pressed the outcome and outlook In this
manner:
Mount Pelee has broken loose and the
end is not yet
At the meeting of the Mary Sherman
Miles Auxiliary last night general order No.
of the National Auxiliary, signed by Mrs.
Flora A. Lewis, president general, was read.
1t suspends from office for ten days Mrs. 1sa-
bel Worrell Ball, president Of the District
of Columbia Auxiliary, pending the invest-
CATION of numerous charges made against
her by the national council of adminstra-
ton, and, further, suspends the District
Auxiliary and its officers and members for
the same period, with the ultimate object,
the national officers say, of permanently
abolishing the District Auxiliary and allow
ing the local subordinate auxiliaries inGivid-
ual representation in the national body.
The officers of the District Auxiliary who
are necessarily suspended with that organi-
zation are: President. Mrs. Isabel WOrrell
Ball; senior vice president, Mrs. Grace
WOODBURY.; Junior vice president Mrs. Ollie
Wilkinson: treasurer. Mrs. Hattie German;
inspector. Mrs. Bessie Phelps; referee, Mrs.
Baden: conductress. Miss Lillian Ullrfch;
surgeon. DR.. Porter; chaplain. Mrs. Celeste
Ferris: color bearer. Miss Maude Thomas;
guard Mrs Julia Dickinson Council of adj
ministration-Mrs. l. N. Dolph. Mrs. Fanny
Parker. Mrs. May Scanlon and Mrs. E. S.
Corby. There are no individual charges
against any of the District Auxiliary Off
nar MrS Poll no ac{d oiYSf
whom it is said fourteen charges have been
filed and published in orders by Mrs. Lewis.
president general and the national council
of administration.
The Charges.
AS stated by Mrs. Lewis today a meeting
of the National Council was called several
days ago and notification of the meeting
sent to each of the sixteen MEMBERS of
that body, including Mrs. Ellen Spencer
Mussey, the judge advocate general. The
meeting was held and the charges against
Mrs. Ball and the association she presides
over were carefully considered, it is said.
The meeting held in the law Office of
Mrs Mussey, who acted as counsel and
legal adviser for Mrs Lewis and the Ma
tional Council.
The fourteen charges against Mrs. Ball,
1t is said. appear under the headings, i'm
proper conduct" ''neglecting and refusing
to comply with the rules and regulations
of the order and failure to carry out
proper orders promptly"
The general tenor of the charges seem
to be complaints of a lack of reverence on
Mrs. Balls part for some of the national
officers. She Is also accused of having
ridiculed the constitution and bylaws Of
the national auxiliary. having even. 1t is
charged. gone to the extent of saying:
Some fool person wrote these bylaws"
The Original Trouble.
The trouble between Mrs. Ball and the
national president and her staff was first
brought about by Mrs. Ball denying the le-
gaty of the election of Mrs. Mary Sher-
man Miles. wife of Gen. Nelson A. Miles,
as an active member of the Mary Sherman
Miles Auxiliary
Mrs. Miles was initiated as a member Of
the order on the evening of May last. at q
reception rendered Gen. and Mrs. Miles and
the local Spanish War Veterans, by DIR.
Anita N MCGEE U. s. A, at her residence.
Mrsh Miles being present a dispensation
for her initiation was granted by Mrs. Flora
A. Lewis, president general OF the national
body, and she was initiated forthwith by
the members Of Mary Sherman Miles Aux
Hilary, who were at the reception.
Mrs. Ball took prompt exception to the
legality of this initiation. holding that as
president of the District Auxiliary. any dis
pensation should have come from her. This
precipitated the war and the deadly hostil-
tiles have been waged actively since
At the meeting last night Mrs. Ford de-
Tended her position in having Mrs. Miles
specially initiated" and communications
were read from Mrs. Lewis and the ma
tional council of administration justifying
her course in the matter. The council by
vote also declared that Mrs. Lewis had
kept within the law in granting the dis
pensation for Mrs. Miles to be initiated at
other than a regular meeting of the aux
Hilary. The council held that the initiation
was mot irregular or Illegal" and that
there was no law of the organization re-
quiring the dispensation to confe through
the hands of the president of the District
auxiliary.
Stand by Mrs. Ball.
1t is stated that when the officers of the
District auxiliary heard of the charges
that had been preferred against their pres
ident. Mrs. Ball, they held a hurried indig-
nation meeting at the residence of Mrs
WOODBURY.. senior vice president. The
meeting was warm one and the officers
and members decided to defend Mrs. Ball
ito the last ditch" They contended that
her position was proper one and deplored
the action that was being taken against
her