The San Francisco call., 1909-02-28
President of Chamber of Com
merce Target for Attack by
James R. Watson
More Than $1,000 Lost or Mis-
appropriated by Clique"
He Charges
British Consul Walter 2. Hearu
Also Included in Storm at
Thistle Club

A bombshelI was. dropped. into tho .
closed meeting OF the Scottish Thistls :
club last night when, James R. watson
revealed what he characterized as the
inner workings OF the clique which has
controlled the destinIes OF the Victoria
Hospital association for the past 22
years !. He accused James McNab. pres
ident or the Chamber or Commsrce. OF
manipulating the. policies OF the men
in charge of the fund which had been
raised to. erect. hospital for British
subjects SO that more than s11. has
been lost or misapproprfated- Watson =
also accused .MeNab and the British
consul. Walter r. Efearn. OF sharp prac-
tfce in securing, for the. association
which he dominates lot valued az
$40. 600 which had been previously
decided TO three men for the benefit of
British subjects.
HISTORY OF SOCIETY
watson went into the early history
of the Victoria hospital association.
which had its inception az the Queen
Victoria jubilee celebration when
$2.442 was raised and followed the :.
progress OF the fund. until IN 1891 it
had reached the sum OF $1,000. having
grown from the subscriptions and do
nations from all the Scottish and Eng =.
.lish societies
/ = Watson declared that II was at this .
time that McNab. the chairman OF the
fund. worked a clever piece OF poll
/ tics" and. by securing 81 proxies con-.
troIled meeting at which the fund
was voted 10 be divided equally be-
tween the St Andrews society and ths
British benevolent association. OF which
Hearn was the leader. The move was
unexpected and caused an uproar. but.
too late. and according 70 Watson. Was .
Unconstitutional = .... .-.:. &:
The. Thistle club. and three lodges OF
the Sons Of ST. George secured the SER
vices OF. W H Hutton and pedtoned
for an Injunction 10 prevent the dtstrt-.
button Of the funds. T. D. Brandon,
acted for McNa,b's alleged clique IN the
case which came before Judge Levy.
and Watson declares Hutton baked in
the middle OF the case Judge Levy
said he would decide the case BY briee..
but dissolved the Injunction without
sending down a written or oral opinion
So the fund was divided and banked. the
/, interest going for the two societies AID
the princfp pal remaining IN trust for the
hospital association. he asserted Wat
son said that. the money would now
have increased 10 s1s.s05-
SAYS NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE
The Victoria hospital association per-.
uetuated Itself and has remained intact
as 10 directorate but nothing has been
done; Watson alleges, and the officers
have even refused donations and SUBJ
scriptiOns.
The present activity OF the Victoria
hospital association was caused BY the
gift OF lot at Nineteenth and Valen-
ella BY Mrs Mary Lapidge. the widow
OF an, English captain OF the Pacific Mall
The gift was not TO the Victoria as
sociation but to Dr. DEvelyn. .Georgs
A. Wright. the architect. and G 3. Rus
sell a prominent real estate man. as
trustees. Mrs Lapidgs wanted 70 see
a hospital for British subjects built
on the lot and it was at this stage, said
Watson, that Hearn and his attorney.
at the suggestion OF McNao. ealied on
the donor and managed, to have
second. deed made OF the lot 10 the We
torfa hospital association before ths
first one could be recorded
There was a mortgage OF $1,000 on
the lot and after recording the deed
McNab and his cOnfreres paid this on.
leaving y balance OF $1,000 from the
fund OF $1,000 which was rHsed -
years ago
ALL ARE NOTIFIED
Sometime after this a communication
was sent 10 all the Scottish and Eng
Iish societies asking that they get to-
gether and arrange a benefit for the
Victoria hospital association 50 that the
hospital could be built on the lot
donated BY Mrs Lapidge- In replying
many OF the societies demanded in
formation regarding the management
OF the victoria association They were
met with a stony silence. says Watson
They were TO be allowed TO donate for
the fund but could not be told any
thing about IT.
Watson claims that had the Victoria
hospital association not been mis-
managed or worse. they would now
have on hand S1S.S05 in accrued In
terest even had no further contribu-
tions been received
Watson produced documents and clip
pings from newspapers for the past
% years. which he claimed were PROOF
OF his assertions. His statements
caused a tremendous sensation at ths
meeting last night and members OF
various Scottish societies who wers
present promised 70 appoint committees
70 Investigate the AFFAIR and demand an
accounting
QUEEN LILIUOKALANFS