The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-11

the Calumet Club, OF which he was MEM
Der and once a governor. 1t is club gossip
that the matter was first brought to at
tention by the bellboys, who refused to
no to Halls room. Their stories were
heard, and private detective, 10 the dis
gulse Of club servant, was Brought into
the case His report 10 the Calumet Club
governors caused them TO ask for Halls
resignation. He resigned. The story was
repeated In the New York Yacht Club, OF
which he was a member, Itreaohed mem I,
q Co., OF which he was president He
resigned his place with that firm. He
became a stranger at the St. Anthony 3
Club, the Trinity Alumni and the other
social bs s9 o. WNon anr rae
prominenoe again when he filed his suits.
The first OF these. Of which notice was
given on Oct. s. was against President
Bond Of the, Calumet Club for go oo3 dam.
made when he left the Calumet Club. Hall
alleged that Bond had spread these reports
to Russell Fl. Hoadley OF his wine hrm,
thereby causing him the loss OF his position;
Suit for the same amount was entered
against Secretary George Carmack OF the
New York Yacht Club, on similar grounds.
1t WAS alleged that the report OF the Calumet
Club proceedings had been circulated by
Carmack in the yacht club. These suits
Ernest STAPLES Of the New York Yacht
Club. The grounds were exactly the same,
and the sum was set at $4,000, so that the
case might have speedy trial in the CITY
Court.
THE DEAD MAN. ~.
Frank de Peyster Hall was member of an
old New York family. He was 80 years old
He was graduated from Trinity College,
travelled much in Europe, where his mother
lives now, and, settling down in this city
founded the firm Of wine agents which
bore his name. In the beginning he WAS
associated with Raoul Duval of Paris. now
of San Francisco, and the late Albert Ste
vens. The firm was successful from the
beginning, and in the end Hall secured a
controlling interest. He had been mem,
Der of the Calumet for ten years and
was on the 19O3 board of directors.
The attorneys for the defendants say
that their witnesses were not confined to
hallboys and detectives. On the other
hand. there were many friends who be-
lieved in Hall to the end. They echoed
his assertions that the reports against
him were trlmped up by an enemy who
wanted to drive him out OF business
IS SUICIDE CONFESSION?
idle rumors. started by malicious per-
son and circulated by gossips,' said one OF
these friends when the suit was filed. Even
now, some of them point TO the case OF
Gen. Sir Hector Macdonald as proof that
suicide does not always mean a confession.
Sir Hector Macdonald was Scotch soldier
of the British Army who rose from the
ranks to high command. He had splendid
record for bravery made in forty years OF
war and invalided to Ceylon. There
charges like those against Hall were made
against him. BY advice OF Gen. Roberts,
he demanded an investigation. and was on
his way to London, to answer the charges
when he committed suicide in Paris After
his death committee investigated the
charges and reported to the War Office
that they were false
Suicide doesn't always mean confession
said one of these friends. A man might
prefer to die rather than have such reports
attached to his name, even though they
were called false by court"
In Halls room were four letters from
One was from his brother Arthur, dated
from Kenyon College, Gambia, Ohio. An
other, on the letterhead Of H. " Ruther-
ford, 81 Nassau street, reads: >
"- Ocr. 9, 1906. ..
down as arr thing that WY Of the old crowd
oferS Is Tesed Of to IN
Snss YOU too wei, ny best wishes. Be-
HH Bingham and Schuyler Van Vechten
of.Albany wrote in similar strain.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY WATCHING.
The District Attorneys Office was in
vestigating the case. 1t was as part of the
investigation that Assistant District At
torney Corrigan was in court with de-
tective sergeant for the purpose of ascer-
tanning II a criminal offence had been COM
nitted. Had the evidence pointed to such
a conclusion Hall would have been ar
a remarkable degree a duplicate OF the
Oscar Wilde case-a personal charge was
followed by a suit for SANDER. on the re-
suit Of which depended ruinous criminal
proceedings.
On Saturday night Hall sat at table in
q well known Sixth avenue restaurant.
One OF his friends, seated at an opposite
table. looked up and saw him. Crossing
the room, he shook hands with him with
considerable ostentation. as if to show
that he took no stock in the stories against
Hall. Only those persons familiar with the
thoroughness OF the methods of detec-
ton adopted by the committee of the Calu-
met Club believed the charges.
Mr.. Hall had not anagre Bile personality,
and had made many enemies by his rather
overbearing manner. He always took a
great interest in athletics, and during recent
years he kept himself in the hands Of trainers
threatened He had never been known
in society, and it was in the Calumet Club
that his largest circle OF acquaintances
existed. He belonged to the organiza-
not been through the difficulties that beset
It some years ago and all but caused it's
abandonment when the Racquet decided
against the plan to consolidate the two
clubs.
The late Richard Stevens OF Hoboken,
who was in the original wine firm formed
by Mr.. Hall and Russell Hoadley, who
carried on the company with Mr.. Hall
later, were both members of the Delta
Psi fraternity and knew Mr., Hall In the st.
Anthony Club, which Is the graduate as
ISOLATION of that fraternity, with its club
house In East Twenty-eighth street.
Hall had iron gray hair and a grayish
mustache, wore glasses and was always
dressed in elaborate, II quiet, fashion.
GENERAL STAFF OVERRULED,