The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-07
MORE SUITS IN CLUB SCANDAL.
UALL NAMES ERNEST STAPLES
rs 4 DEFENDANT
And Gives His Lawyers the Names OF
Other C1uDmen VINO Are Said to Have
Passed on the stories About Him-Says
lie Didn't Resign Under Pressure.

lie Didn't Resign Under Pressure.
Three men have now been made de-
fsndants in suits brought by Frank de
Pevster Hall for the story alleged to have
been circulated about disgraceful practices
of his at the Calumet Club. In addition to
suits tor $4,000 each against Alfred Ii.
Bond. president of the club. and George
Cormack. secretary of the New York
Yacht Club one in the Supreme Court and
one in the City Court, Mr.. Hall, IL was
learned Yesterday. has also another action
penliuE for the same amount Of damages
acains' Ernest Staples. II member OF the
Now York Yacht Club.
The sui, against Mr.. Staples was brought
oriy recently. the other actions having
been begun last May. Hall accuses MIR.
rormack of making statements concern
ing him to Mr.. Staples. and he accuses Mr..
Staples of spreading these stories among
other members of the yacht club. The
suit against Mr.. Staples like that against
MIR Cormack. is brought in the City Court,
where the limit of damages TO be recovered
is fixed nj 5000. Mr.. Halls lawyers cited
this among other things, yesterday, as
proof that Mr.. Halls animus in the suits
against Mr.. Cormack and Mr.. Staples was
desire for vindication rather than pc
cuniary compensation.
Actions brought in the City Court have
one advantage over those in the Supreme
Court because they are tried much sooner.
If the suits in the City Court are not with
drawn-and Mr.. Halls lawyers say there
isno possibility Of this-one of them, it was
said yesterday. will probably be tried
IN two weeks time. The action in the
Supreme Court against Mr.. Bond, which,
so Mr.. Halls counsel says, is for pecuniary
damages as much as for vindication, may
not be reached for several years.
Mr. Halls suits were the cause Of no end
OF talk yesterday among the clubmen.
The men made defendants were disincined
70 discuss the matter. While regretting
that Hall had taken the action he had, none
Of them. it was said, was especially alarmed
about the outcome. Cornelius j. Sullivan
Of Nicoll Anable d Lindsay is counsel for
Mr.. Cormack aud Mr.. Bond. James W.
Ridgway is Mr. Stapless counsel.
Mr.. Hall has given the names of several
other clubmen to his lawyers, and it was
said yesterday that the only reason that
these men had not been sued was that the
evidence Of the circulation of the story
"Mr. Hail." said W. M. Seabury Of Nor
gan Il Seabury, his counsel, is determined
TO secure vindioation and will bring suits
against ten men or any number against
whom we feel We have evidence to warrant
it. Mr. Hall has been injured grievously.
There is no truth that he was forced or
even asked to resign. He resigned from
the club himself before he even heard Of
this etory. This whole thing is the re-
suit of the personal animosity Of one man
against Mr.. Hall. Who that mau is don't
care to say. Mr.. Hall has acted from the
very beginning as an innocent man would
act. He asked the club for an investiga-
ton and a hearing, and when no atten-
ton was paid to that request he determined
10 bring these individual suits to clear him
self before his friends. No man guilty of
the offence Of which he has been accused
would ever 60 into court, knowing that
il 1t was proved he could properly be
followed up by the District Attorney
Mr.. Hail. prior to his resignation. had
been member OF the club for ten years
He had been chairman OF the house COM
mittee, and was a member OF the board OF
governors that retired in 1908 in favor OF
the present board. A friend OF his said
NtSlNTudN iUds 1Aoli hhe LHt
manner in which affairs were conducted
in the club and in July OF last year rendered
his resignation.
MIR. Hail." said this man. did not hear
Of the story circulated about him until
several months after this. He hadn't even
heard it whispered when he resigned.
The minute it was brought to him by
friend he sat down and wrote q letter to
tho board OF governors demanding an in
vestigation and a chance to be heard. He
also wrote similar letters and gave them
10 several individual members OF the board
who he believed were his friends and who
would act in his interests in securing such
q hearing. Absolutely no attention was
paid TO these letters. He never heard from
the club at all.
Soon afterward when he heard that
the story had been spread to the New York
Yacht Club he wrote a similar appeal, to
which no attention was paid. He did not
resign from the yacht club, and doesn't
intend to resign without an investigation.
He believes one man. q personal enemy,
Is responsible for the origin Of the story,
aud, failing to secure an investigation by
the club, he has decided to bring the matter
ont in the courts as the only way Of getting
what he desired, despite the notorSety that
would attach to such proceedings. His
friends, may add, believe that he Is acting
with only the courage Of an innocent man
uniustly accused Of a grave offence"
1t was said yesterday that Russell H.
HoadlAy. director OF F. de Peyster Hall
Co, when told Of the story by Mr.. Bond
did not believe IT, and told Mr.. Hall 80, and
that no request was made for the latter's
resignation as president OF the concern.
Mr.. Hail. said Mr. Seabury yesterday,
was aware that the firms business had
hogrn to suffer as a result of the accusation
made against him. and determined that
ne would resign rather than let his con-
h"ctlon injure the business any more"
Mr.. Halls whereabouts were concealed
oy his lawyers Yesterday. Heformerly lived
WIN his parents at 6pl Lexington avenue.
LAUNCH or THE PADUCAH.
MISS heiser. Daughter OF Paducah's Mayor,
hrt an, linn he m ia