The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-28
.DAUGHTERSL|NEUP
For Dit tier BAT TIE
Insurgcnt Spirit Disturbs Har-
mony and Quiet of D.
a. r. Ranks.
FIGHT STARTS OVER CLERK
Miss Gcrald's Discharge May
Lead to Serious Split
III Organization.
FIGHT STARTS OVER CLERK
I Special to The Times Dispatch.

up for the bittcrest fight of their lives
The insurgent spirit has entered into
the sacred precincts of the national
headquarters of the socicty-Memorial
Hall, at Washington--and Madam, the
recording secretary general, Mary r.
Wilcox, is leading n bitter fight upon
Madam, the president general, Julia Il.
Scott, and Madam, the registrar general,
A. G. Draper.
Mary r. Wilcox does not mince mat
tiers. In an open letter to the heads OF
the various chapters throughout the
country, she declares that Mrs. Draper
is preparing to seize the organization.
and the president general has clerks and
officers not pleasing her (Nfrs. DrapeD
summarily discharged or forced to re-
sign.
The insurgents have taken their
stand upon the dismissal by Mrs. Scott
of Miss Agnes Gerald, clerk in the
employ of the National Society, who
was appointed In April, 1899. Mrs.
Scott in her letter of dismissal, alleged
continued and persistent acts of insub-
ordination as an enlploSe."
Recording Secretary General WILCOX
has taken the stand that Miss Gerald
was dismissed because Mrs. Draper had
trouble with the girls mother at the
time of the last election.
Bail IL Opened.
The ball was opened on February 90,
when the president-gcncral informed
Miss Gerald that she had been dis
missed. and at the same time directed
her not to report to headquarters again.
Miss Gerald placed the matter In the
hands of her attorney. L. c. Williamson,
who In a letter informed Mrs. Scott
that as the young woman could only
be dismissed by the board which had
appointed her, he had advised the
To this communication Mrs. Scott
made no reply, but on March 81 she
sent note to Mary r. Wilcox. in
whose department Miss Gerald was
employed, informing the recording
secretary general that Miss Gerald was
no longer an employee Of the society.
Mrs Wilcox at once took up the fight
for the clerk in the following plain
letter:
Madam President General.--1 have
to acknowledge receipt of your note of
this morning officially notifying me-
that Miss Gerald no longer belongs toI
the clerical force of the society and is
no longer on its pay roll
Holding that another's character,
as we'll as her bread and living, Isl
above whatever official courtesy may
be due between you and me, l nave
| 10 respectfully inform you that l do
| not recognize your authority to DIS
miss Miss Gerald, she having been APP
pointed by the national board OF man
agement, and, therefore, will continue
her services in my department, where
they are needed, until she shall have
been dismissed by the said national
board OF management OF the Continent
! tai Congress.
Before closing this note. permit me,
in the name OF common humanity. to-
appeal to your mother hood and ask
you to reconsider and recall your ac
ton, which will be duly appreciated,
not only by the clerk In question, but
by very many members Of the organ
ization. Very respectfully,
MARY r. WILCOX,
Rec Sec Gen, n. S. D. A. r.
returns to the Charge.
No reply was made to this letter, and
on March 10 Mrs. Wilcox returned to
the charge with an open letter to the
heads OF the various chapters through
out the country, from which extracts
follow:
MY Dear misunderstanding TO the
recent action against Agnes Gerald. an
employc of the National Society. Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution, per-
nit me to call your attention to the
violation % OF the letter and spirit OF
the Declaration of independence. (2)
of the Constitution OF the United States
(Article VI, Section p and bylaws
(Artlclcs III. and xVI) Of the National
Society, Daughters of tho American
Revolution, and (4) OF the divine law
appearing In chapter vii. of Iechariah,
verse 10: And Cypress not the widow
nor the fatherless, the stranger nor
the poor; and let none Of you imagine
evil against his brother in your heartso
and TO the following facts:
Il. That as the appointing power Is al
ways the dismissing power, and as Miss
Gerald was appointed in April, 1909 to
the permanent pay roll by tho national
board Of management, on recommends
ton OF Mrs. Donald Mclean, former
president general. the opinion is held
that only to the national board of man
agement of the congress belongs the
right to dismiss Therefore the act of
the president general, Mrs. Matthew T.
Scott. in attempting to dismiss Miss
Gerald was illegal, and II allowed TO
stand would establish most dangerous
precedent.
was not to the president general. but
To Mrs. Amos G. Draper, clerk on the
pay roll OF the society; that this act
is tho elimination of trouble between
Mrs Draper and Mrs. Gerald, mother
of the clerk. which arose at the time
of the election of the former as regis
trar-general,
-. That a relentless persecution has
been waged against this young girl
ever since the close of the congress of
1909 by three members of tho District
Daughters Of the American Revolution.
1T Is clear in the minds of the Daugh-
tiers in Washington that the illegal
action of tho presidentgcneral was
prompted by Mrs. Draper, and II al
lowed to stand will only be the begin
ming, to DO followed by other acts
which viii practically dismiss every
one not agreeable 10 the latter indl-
vidual. TO intimidate the clerks or
provoke them to so-called insubordi-
nation, followed by dismissal; to annoy
the officers until they are forced to re-
sign. seems to be her well-planned
scheme. Along these lines she is pre-
paving to get control OF the organlza-