New-York tribune., 1910-01-19
STRICkLER VICTORY
BLOW FOR STETSON
FORCES.
Bitter Struggle in Christian
Science Church Smacks of
Political Warfare.

Al the annual meeting of the First
Church of Christ, Scientist, which be-
gan last night and lasted until 2:30
O'Clock this morning, the followers Of
Mrs. Augusta Stetson, the deposed lead
er of the church. were defeated, their
candidates for reelection on the BOARD
OF trustees receiving 4S0 votes to 80
for those put forward by the supporters
of Virgil o. Strickler the first reader.
who had the backing of Mrs. Mary
Baker Eddy and the board of directors
of the Mother Church at Boston.
Mr.. Strickler now has majority of
the officers of the church with him. It
was freely said in the course of the
fierce contest that the result. if adverse
to the Stetsonites. would be fought in
the courts.
On a motion by Richard Verrall, that
the first business done should be the
election of trustees and officers and that
no nominating speeches should be made.
the Strickler forces won against the
Stetsonites. as those who support Mrs.
Augusta Stetson are called, by vote of
152 to 492, a majority of 260 Following
tIilS, OOIlH L. I11SSlLS- d EdilOIOdlt OI tic
Stetsonites for clerk filed a protest
against the form of the Strickler ballot
and made it clear that defeat for the
StetsOnites would be followed by a fight
in the courts.
Balloting was begun soon after 9
o'clock and lasted until u, when the
counting was begun. The casting of the
votes was marked by extreme bitterness.
A challenger for the Stetsonites. Walter
Fairchild, and those who sat at the right
facing the pulpit, challenged one-third
of the votes cast.
The Strickler ticket was composed of
the following candidates; For trustees
for three years, Benjamin F. Bailey,
Arthur o. Probst, Margaret Beecher
White; for two years. to fill an unex-
pired term. Charles A. Dean; for treas
urer. Mr. Bailey; for clerk Mr.. Probst.
and for superintendent of the Sunday
school, Maurice G. Kains.
OPPOSED TO MRS. EDDY.
The Stetson ticket was for the re-
election of the former officers, despite
the fact that the board of directors Ct
the Mother Church and Mrs. Mary Baker
Eddy had expressed themselves in favor
of rotation in office. They were, for
trustees for three years. Mrs. Isabelle
C Dam, Joseph B. Whitney and William
H Taylor; for two years. Robert s.
Ridgely: for treasurer. Mr.. Whitney; for
clerk, John D. Higgins. and for superin-
tendent of the Sunday school, Helen
Scuthard Davis.
Mr.. Strickler won his first victory after
q motion to table Mr.. Verralls motion
had been lost by an aye and nay svote.
He read the section of the bylaws call
ing for the election of trustees and Off
GERS and in this precedence was given
to the election over the reading of the
reports of the officers and trustees. Mr..
Higgins protested and Mr.. Taylor. who
took such a prominent part in the turbu-
lent meeting at which the action of the
board of directors of the Mother Church
was reversed, did the same. But they
were foored by the vote.
FACTIONS UP IN FRONT.
The front seat at each end of the
aisle was reserved for the workers of
the factions. Mr.. Verrall sat at the head
of the Strickler men at the left and
Fairchild at the head of the Stetsonites.
There was practically no challenging by
the Strickler men. tall man, who
looked like Jim" Jeffries. backed Mr..
Fairchild with voice of resonant quail
ity when Mr.. Taylor was not leaning
over the readers desk counselling peace
and signalling to Mr.. Fairchild TO chal-
lenge and protest Mr.. Strickler leaned
far over between the readers desks and
irterrogated those who were not men,
hers regarding the length of time they
had attended the services
Mr.. Higgins got Mr.. Strickler 10 change
the course of the voters from the left to
the right of the pulpit, so that they
would have to pass the pew where the
Stetson rooters were and where a table
with the membership lists and stenog-
raphers was When Mr.. Strickler saw
the ruse that had succeeded he ordered
the table removed.
A dark woman. small with a vivid
face shrilled above the challenging with
a protest against the crouching attitude
OF Mr. Strickler He had to kneel on
one knee in order to talk 10 the voters,
but the protest did not get him to change
his position 1t was said that if a legal
fight was made by the Stetsonites it
would be on the challenges and on the
fern of the opposition ballot, which did
not state that II was for the annual
meeting of the church. but had the fol-
lowing sentences as an introduction:
Loyalty TO the Mother Church" Demo-
cratic Government" Rotation in Office"