The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-23
JUSTICE DONE A WOMAN,
STORMY SESSION Of THE
NATIONAL SOCIETY D.A.R.
Mrs. Harriet Baird-Huey, of
Philadelphia, Exonerated of
All Charges.
SECRET SESSION HELD
And Effort Made to Punish Those
Who Were Responsible for
Accusations.
HELD

WASHINGTON, April 22.-The stormiest
sessions in the history of the National So
ciety of the Daughters of the American
Revolution, of which Mrs Charles w.
Fairbanks wife of the senator, is presi-
dent general, occurred to-day, when the
thirteenth continental congress formally ex-
onerated Miss Harriet Baird -Huey, of
Philadelphia. of the charges made against
her personal and official character by Mrs.
Thomas Roberts, former state regent of
Pennsylvania. and declared that the
charges constituted gross injustice. This
action was taken by the adoption of a re-
port of the judicial committee which was
empowered to investigate the charges,
which have caused wide disse nsion in the
ranks of the Daughters.
A determined effort was made TO visit
punishment on those who participated in
the circulation of the charges. Mrs. Edwin
Orton, jr., OF Columbus. o., moved a vote
of censure a the afternoon session and, al
though ii was lost on yea and nay vote,
the champions of Miss Huey announced
that they would take up the matter again.
Mrs. Quarles, of Wisconsin, was elected
vice president by 176 votes to III for Mrs.
Little, of New York. The report on the
Philadelphia case was made by Mrs- Nam
ME Mccormick Coleman. of Chicago, chair
man OF the committee. 1t said that on Feb.
z, 1901. Mrs Roberts as state regent of
Pennsylvania, before the national board OF
management, had made statements and
read documents derogatory to the character
of Miss Huey and that Miss Huey had no
knowledge that such charges were to be
made. 1t said the judicial committee found
that the national board should have Sc
cured the documents which Mrs. Roberts
read in connection with her charges, but
refused TO furnish. III declared that gross
injustice had been done Miss Huey and
that Mrs. Roberts's charges had not been
sustained. The committee made no recon-
mendatfon save to urge an amendment to
Statute 202, of the society, 20 make more
specific requirements as to the admission
OF statements derogatory to a members
Mrs. Helen Boynton Immediately insisted
that the state regent from Pennsylvania
Mrs. Roberts) and the members of the
board of management who refused to grant
Miss Huey an investigation are ''yet to be
dealt with before justice is subserved. This
congress-, she said, lis the only power to
sit in judgment. and justice should be given
now" Miss Forsythe, of New York, started
to defend the board of management but
was interrupted by Mrs. Weed, of Mon
tana, and the Daughters went into secret
session. where Mrs. Orton made this mo-
ton:
Moved. That a general vote of censure
be passed by the thirteenth continental
congress on those members of the society
who were guilty of the gross injustice re-
ported by the judicial committee"
There was a storm of intermixed protests
and applause, a tangle of parliamentary
sparring. The motion was finally lost and
later, when the doors were opened. the
committee report was adopted.
Mrs. j. n. Carey, of Indiana. was elected
vice president general. The following
officers were elected: Recording secretary
general, Mrs. w. E. Fuller, District of CO.
lumbia treasurer general, Mrs. NJ E. s.
Davis, District of Columbia: historian gen.
eral, Mrs. Jonathan p. Doliver. Iowa; reg
istrar general, Mrs. A. G. Geer, District of
Colombia. editor and business manager re-
spectively, of the official magazine of the
organization. Mrs. Rachel Avery, Cleveland
o., and Miss Lillian Lockwood. District of
Columbia.