New-York tribune., 1911-03-18
MANDAMUS FOR NAMES
"RevoIt" in the S. P. c. A. To Be
Carried Into Court.
FIGHT FOR NEW PRESIDENT 7
L. E. Opdycke to Go to Law for
Membership List He Says
Was Denied Him.

The fight for q salaried president of the
American Society for the Prevention or
Cruelty to Animals is on in earnest. Ard
II bids fair TO get into the courts to-day.
The other day n score or more Of the mem
bers OF the society asked President Alfred
Wagstaff to call a special meeting for Mon
day and to say in the call that one purpose
of the meeting was 10 secure IAN express
sion Of the society's Judgment regarding
the need for salaricd president-ab'e and
willing to devote his entire time to the
conduct and enlargement OF the work"
Some Of the members gay that the latter
part of this clause was omitted, and yes
terday Leonard f.. Opdycke had postcards
printed with this specific paragraph In
cluded Mr.. Ondycke says he read the card
over the telephone to Colonel Wagstaf and
then asked the president either for his ac-
dressing machine. which contains the
names OF the members Of the society. or
for q printed list which the addresses could
be obtained from. Then. according to Mr..
Opdycke. Colonel Wagstaff said that he
would have to bring the matter before the
committee on literature. as he did not think
II advisable to give out the list Of names
whenever requested. Later in the day
Colonel Wagstan telephonod Mr.. Opdycke.
the latter SAYS. that the board had refused
permission for the list Of names
But. nothing daunted Mr.. Opdycke wrote
about two pages Of legal matter and turned
II over to Horace F.. Deming. who will ask
in the Supreme Court to-day for man
damus compelling Colonel Wagstaff to give
the names desired.
1T is no personal fight on Colonel Wag-
staff" said Mr.. Opdycke last night: its
only that there is work for all one mans
time. and more besides. Colonel Wagstaff
told me himself that he could not spare
more than an hou! and a half or two hours
day from his time as clerk Of the Su-
preme Court Colonel Wagstaff understood
when he was elected that he was put IN Oh
fee purely as an acting president-unti
salaried president, and a man who really
cared should he elected. He took the place
Of John T. Hanes, after whose regime we
were glad to get almost anybody IN the
chair
He continued on IN office. and in 1901
General Chaffee was brought over mere
from California OF some expense 10 look
over the ground and for US to look over
him. He thought he could cover the ground.
and 50 did we. but Richard Welling told
Colonel Wagstaf il was up 10 him to get
the lob and to make good. II does not
make any difference whether or not Colonel
Wagstaff tried to make good He Kept the
iob-and General Chaffee went back To
California.
"a man is needed who will watch the Of
fcers of the company. We have about
thirty agents at $3.50 a year each. The So
cety could pay $4,000, but the right man
could probably he got for 5000
II is said that Jefferson Selgman is tax
ing an active Part IN the work for a chahSe
in the executive head He signed the caii
for the meeting. but says he wishes 1t un-
derstood that he is not personally opposed
IN ColonI Wagstan Henry Befgh. nephew
of the founder Of the society, says n ma
ioritv of the board has confidence IN Colohei
Waestaff. The president himself says tnat
be does not think the revolt as he ohar-
acterizes it in military fashion. will come
90 anything.
II IS said that Miss Anna Morgan. Mrs.
Richard Irwin. Mrs. Hilborne Roosevelt
Mrs. Herbert II. Satterlee and Joseph IL.
Choate are all in favor Of Colonel Was-
staff Two names that have been mentioned
for the presidency are those or Geherai
bingham and Rear Admiral Mark.
Mrs. James Speyer. president OF the New
York Women's League for Animals. made
a statement. III which she said she con-
sidered it would be very eocd ln"s LOT
tie society if Colonel Wagstaf resigned.