Christian Woman, Fine Fellow

Behind locked doors on the 13th floor of Chicago's Garrick Building, members of the Cook County Women's Christian Temperance Union met excitedly one afternoon last week. Notably absent from the meeting was the group's president, dimpled, thin-haired Mrs. Beata Brucer, 45. Against her the Cook County W. C. T. U. was deliberating grave charges.

It all began when President Brucer, wife of an unemployed carpenter, met Arthur J. Lynch during the Presidential campaign. Mr. Lynch, then a Dry pressagent for the Business Men's Prohibition Foundation, was plying his trade in behalf of the Republican ticket. Soon Mrs. Brucer discovered that Mrs. Lynch, a volatile Frenchwoman who once was a War nurse, was not "treating Mr. Lynch right." Mrs. Brucer rented a room in a Dearborn Street boarding house for her new-found friend, fed him. In return, he helped her prepare her temperance speeches, research alcohol problems. "All the men in the Business Men's Prohibition Foundation." said she, "are such fine fellows."

Unhappily, on Christmas Eve, Press-agent Lynch pursued his alcoholic researches to the point of inebriation. Mrs. Brucer said she discovered his condition, put him to bed, administered hot coffee until very late.

Mrs. Lynch had a variorum account. She marched into Woman's Court, declared that Mrs. Brucer and Mr. Lynch had "gone to a cabaret and gotten drunk." She charged alienation of affections and adultery. The Court permitted a disorderly conduct complaint to be lodged against the Dry crusader, later mollified the Frenchwoman with Mrs. Brucer's promise never again to see Mr. Lynch.

Thinking of her flock and her job, distressed Mrs. Brucer wailed: "I can't face those women. I know these 'good Christian women,' and with some of them there is not much Christianity."

The Christian women, in congress assembled, voted Mrs. Brucer "fullest confidence." "While we stand by her," their decision continued, "and do not believe that she has been guilty of anything except indiscretion, and while we believe that she was attempting to put into practice what we are preaching, that one should help his fellowman when he is 'down,' it seems best under the circumstances to accept her resignation."

Reporters, barred from the proceedings, heard the meeting open with song but were unable to learn which was sung first, "America Is Going Dry" or "White Ribbon Vibrations."

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