The Washington times., 1909-04-25
Tumultuous Congress Ends
With Settlement of Con-
tested Seats.
. SEVERAL RECOUNTS
AT LAST MINUTES
Mrs. Mabel Swormstedt, of District,
Wins Corresponding Secre-
tary Generalship.

Every train out of washington today
carries its quota of Daughters of the
American Revolution who. after a tu-
multuous week of political dissensions.
brought the eighteenth annual coaven-
ton to a clSse at Continental Hall at
o'clock last night.
Many Of the Daughters returned 70
their home Immediately after the bal
Ioting for national officers. never think
Ing that one OF the races would be so
close that another would have to be held
at the very last session. This happened.
however, and IL was not known until
ten minutes before adjournment that
Mrs. Mabel Swormstedt. of the District.
had. by the narrow margin OF two votes.
defeated Mrs. Eleanor Thorne. of Seattle
and the District for the Office of cor
responding secretary general.
Ballot Mixup.
The mixup which had occurred when
the tellers reported in the morning re-
garding the corresponding secretary and
the recording secretary was straighten-
ed out after they were sent back for
another comparison of the ballots.
Miss Mary Wilcox, it was later an
nounced. had won over Mrs. Howard L.
Hodgkins by a vote of 4S5 to 424 for the
Office of recording secretary, and not
by vote of 4S5 to 49, as announced
coX's majority, therefore, under the re-
capitulation, was a majority of all bal
lots cast, regular and scattering, and
she was declared victor
The same trouble OF not counting
Scattering. ballots in the grand total
in arriving at a majority occasi0ned the
trouble about Mrs. SWormstedt and Mrs
Thorne- The first vote was 429 to 425 in
favor Of Mrs. Swormstedt. but 429 was
not a majority OF all votes, and another
election was ordered This resulted in
her election by 1S3 to 1S1.
Harmony At Close.
Comparative peace and harmony
reigned during the closing hours of the
session. All retiring officers were honor
ed with words Of praise
4 pathetic incident connected with
the closing Of the Congress was the as
surance Of sympathy to Mrs. Mary
Lockwood. on motion OF Mrs. r Keim.
over the loss OF her daughter. Lillian.
business editor OF the society's maga-
zine. Mrs. Lockwood Is one OF the
three surviving founders of the society.
Mrs. Scott, new president general. did
rot attend the closing session, but bsde
her admirers goOd-by at the New Will
lard The last official act of the retiring
president general was to declare Mrs.
1NCAN bAoAi AAAtAA VI tic 0DUllnCIldl L1dll
committee.
Mrs. William Cummings Story was
escorted to her carriage by a bevy OF
admirers. wh0 assured her of their sup
port two years hence, and who cheered
as she, waving her hand and throwing
Kisses was hurried away.
Last of Business.
AT the suggestion Of the treasurer
general, $4,000 was transferred from the
current to the permanent fund of the
society.
Routine business was transacted while
waiting for the report of the tellers.
Mrs Elroy Avery was named editor of
the magazine for the next two years,
and Miss Minnie F. Mickey, of Pennsyl-
vania. business manager.
The convention closed with the sing
ing of Maryland. Ny Maryland .
Home, Sweet Home" and finally The
Star-Spangled Banner" The Rev.
William Dygnum Moss, pastor Of the
Washington Heights Presbyterian
Church, pronounced the benediction