Evening star., 1903-09-23
MRS. LEWIS REPLIES.
National President, s. w. v. Auxil-
iarv. Discusses Local Discussions.

1dIY, DISCUSSES 1OCd1 O1SSSuS1OuS.
The national council Of the Auxiliary of
the Spanish War Veterans held meeting
last night and decided to revoke and can
eel the charter Of the District auxiliary, be-
cause of the failure Of the District body to
answer the charges preferred against 1t.
Mrs. Flora A. Lewis, president of the ma
tional auxiliary. presided at the meeting of
the council last night and made a state
ment of the case. The District body. she
said, had failed to answer the charge to the
effect that the assembly held August 1 to
3 was irregularly convened and assembled
The local organization was given ten days
in which to answer the charges, she said.
and the ten days expired and no answer
was presented. During this time three of
the four local auxiliaries withdrew from
the District organization and sustained the
action of the national president. Mrs. Isa-
bel WOrrel Ball. president of the District
auxiliary, was suspended from office by the
national president Mrs. Ball stated yes
terday. In The Star, that she had not re-
seived or seen an official copy of the
charges upon which her suspension was
based. Mrs. Lewis referred to this state
ment in the course of the meeting last
night, and asserted that Mrs. Ball had re-
ceived copies of the charges and a notice
of her suspension.
Mrs. Lewis stated that the charges came
before her on the 1st day OF September,
and that the council held meeting upon
the 5th day Of that month. at which Mrs.
Ball was suspended from the presidency of
the District auxiliary until these charges
were investigated Mrs. Lewis declares that
the suspension notice was mailed to Mrs
Ball. who was in Larned. Kan, at the time:
Mrs Ball wrote to the national body on
September 8. Mrs. Lewis states. asking that
copy OF the charges be forwarded to
her at that address. A copy was at once
mailed to her there. and one to her address
in this city On the 18th of September Mrs
Lewis says. Mrs. Ball wired denying the
charges, specifically and generally. Mrs.
Lewis holds, therefore, that Mrs Ball must
have received a copy of the charges.
Until Mrs. Ball submits a reply to tho ma
tfonal council to the charges no action will
be taken by that body upon them 1t Is
claimed by the national council that Mrs
Ball formulated and promulgated certain
papers IN local auxiliary greatly tniur-
ious to the organization.
In connection with the action of Miss
Harriet Hawley. chairman of the national
council In declining to preside over the
| meetings of the council. Mrs. Lewis stated
| that Miss Hawley had no right to preside
over the council meetings. as the bylaws
OF the organization expressly provide that
the president shall preside over such meet
ings. Mrs Lewis also denied the state
ment that there was not a quorum In this
city without counting Miss Hawley. She
mSde this statement in connection with the
Charge that the meetings would be illegal
without quorum. and that Miss Hawley
remained away SO that there could be no
quorum. Mrs. Lewis says there are five
members Of the council resident in the city
In addition to Miss Hawley, and that the
bylaws provide that five members shall
constitute quorum. She asserts that all
her actions have been legal and every meet
Ing OF the council regularly conducted.