The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-26
FRICTION IN BERGH SOCIETY.
ACCOUNTANTS REPORT rs SUP
PRESSED, SAYS COL. ERHARDT.
DO Not Let Us Act A. n We We're Dis.
honest Unless We Archie objects to
one Man Rule and No Meetings Of
Members President Haines Said 10
Have Relinauished $50 900 OF Salary.


one Man Rule and No Meetings Of
Members President Haines Said 10
Have Relinquished $50 900 Of Salary.
The objects for which the American
Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty to
Animals was organized as described in the
lv-laws OF the society are: ITO provide
effective means for the prevention Of cruelty
10 animals throughout the United States;
10 enforce all laws which are now, or may
hereafter be, enacted for the protection
of animals and to secure by lawful means
the arrest. conviction and punishment
Of all persons violating such laws.
further object Of the society shall be to
instruct the people to be kind to animals
hy the dissemination of humane literature
and other effective methods.
There has been much complaint OF late
that the society is not as efficient in these
directions as it was, and even that it will
not, il it can help it. permit any outside
organization to prevent cruelty to animals.
This outside criticism Is now reinforced
by criticism from within the society itself.
The president Of the S. P. c. A is John p.
Haines, the secretary and treasurer Is John
Mason Knox and the vice-presdents and
executive committee are Benjamin D.
Hicks. the Rev. DR.. Morgan Dix. Frederic
Gallatin. Alfred Wagstsfi. John Clafin,
Joseph II. Choate, James Grant Wilson,
William Fahnestock. Joel B. Erhardt.
Frederick G. Bourne. William NJ. X. Olcott.
George Knox Bell and Horace w Carpenter
Until a short time ago Mayor George B.
Mcclellan was a member Of the executive
committee but the Mayor has resigned and
Withdrawn himself entirely from the So
ciety. He did not care yesterday to say
why he had done so. As matter OF fact
within the last few years there have been
a number Of designations, including those OF
Bishop Greer, Elbridge T. Gerry, George De
Witt, Charles Lanier and George G. Haven,
and a short time ago John Clahin announced
that he would resign unless he received
definite information concerning the exact
condition Of the society's finances.
Col, Joel B. Erhardt, ex-Collector OF the
Port and a man Of standing in the COM
munity, began on April "a. 1904. An effort
10 ascertain the exact condition OF the So
ciety's finances Col. Erhardt at the meet
ing held on that day introduced resolutions
requesting the president to employ ac-
countants to report in detail the true con-
dition Of the society. assets, liabilities. II
ceipts and disbursements; the examination
10 cover the preceding FIVE years; and
salaries to be expressly and individually
stated; also to report a recommendation Tor
si-ln.itying the accounts, necessary.
The resolution: with a view to eliminate
any local feeling in favor of or against the
management of the society 1t IL recon-
mended that this examination be made by
the Eastern Audit Company Of Boston.
Mass.
Col. Erha rdt's resolution was defeated.
Al the May meeting Of the society in 1904
Mr.. Bourne, Mr.. Fahnestock and Mr.. Oh
colt who is a cousin Of Treasurer Knox.
we're directed to employ accountants to
look into the affairs of the society, and they
York city On May II, 1905 after little
over twelve months had passed. these in
structions had been carried out and the
report was ready on that day at a meeting
Of the vice presidents and executive com,
mi,tee of the society. Mr. Bourne handed
and the committee was discharged and the
h!ll for $500 for services by the accountants
was directed to be paid
At the meeting on June Col Erhardt
asked for copy of the report, and he de-
clared yesterday that he had not been able
to get it. He offered resolution to the
effect that the report be thrown open for
inspection by the vice-presidents and
executive committee and his resolution was
defeated by the two votes OF President
Haines and Treasurer Knox. Col. Erhardt
asked again to be allowed to see the report
OF the accountants and the request was
again refused. President Haine ssaying.
None Of the managers or trustees will be
permitted to see It," President Hainee
meant the vioe-presidents and executive
sistent, asked il a copy Of the report would
be sent to him and got another refusal.
Col. Erhardt's next move was to write
request to Treasur er Knox for a copy OF
the report but up to yesterday the request
had still been refused.
Col. Erhardt said yesterday that nobody
seemed to know exactly what was in the
report OF the accountants that everybody
seemed to be in the dark, and that 1t was the
evident purpose Of President Haines, Treas
urer Knox and several others to refuse all
access to the report OF the society's actual
financial condition.
COL Erhardt went on to say that the
affairs OF tho society are administered by
little coterie including with Mr.. Haines,
Mr.. Knox, Mr.. Fahnestock, Mr.. Grant Mr..
Wagstaf and Mr.. Wilson. 1t appears that
these five gentlemen are always on hand at
the meetings and that they. with President
Haines, are practically the American Society
for the Prevention OF Cruelty to Animals.
Mr.. Gallatin is seldom at the meetings. DR..
Dix does not attend at all. Mr.. Hicks has
attended Ou6 meeting III lOuI ycdis, .ll
Clafin is seldom there Mr.. Choate has been
absent in England, Col. Erhardt is very
regular in his attendance and 30 is Geoi &c
Knox Bell, while Mr.. Carpenter is very
III and hasn't been at meeting in many
months, and Mr.. Bourne rarely attends.
According to the bylaws Of the society
the annual meeting Of the society shall
be held on the second Thursday in January,
or as soon thereafter as con venient, in each
and every year thereafter Col. Erhardt
said yesterday that there hadn't been
meeting OF the members Of the society
since Henry Bergh died on March II. 1888.
or at least that to his best recollection only
one meeting had been held since Mr. Bergh's
death. There are 500 members OF the
society.
THE Sun reporter could find no execu-
tive committeeman who would tell what the
accountants report contained. and some
of them had very little information about
the finances of the society Both DR.. Dix
and Gen. Wilson said that 1t was not pra cite
abe 70 hold annual meetings Of the members
Of the society. There was no place for
them to meet. 1t has never been the eus-
tom Gen. Wilson said, to send out to men,
hers notices of the annual meetings. Any
member, however. could attend il he chose.
When asked why the trustees and managers
were not allowed to see the accountants
report Gen. Wilson said:
The report was for the use OF the ad.
visory committee, II was not intended