[BNet Editors – How poorly those who serve are treated by those who desire control. Finally, after about a year of conniving and lying, The Theosophical Society of Adyar under the leadership of Annie Besant with full consent of Col. Olcott achieved its goal in ousting the third founder of the Society. Judge posed a direct threat to Annie Besant, due to his popularity and his knowledge, and personal relationship to the Masters. A relationship Besant never achieved. As a consequence mostly all of the Branches in America severed their relationship with Headquarters and established the American Theosophical Society, and elected William Q. Judge as their president. ]

[Copy of a letter from Mr. Judge to Col. Olcott]

Dear Colonel,

Last June and July I laid before you the point that I was never elected Vice-President of the “Theosophical Society,” consequently that office was then known to you to be vacant. The decision then arrived at by you, Mr. Bertram Keightley, and Mr. George R.S. Mead that I was Vice-President was invalid, of no effect, and quite contrary to the fact. The original notification to the public that my name was attached to the office was merely a notice of your selection, without the authority of the Society you are the President-Founder of, and without any election by a competent, regular and representative convention of that Society. I also informed you in July that no notice was ever given to me of the said invalid selection.

A long and bitter fight has been waged by Mrs. Annie Besant and others, one of the objects of which is to compel me to resign the said office which I do not hold. I have refused to accede to their requests, and would refuse even did I hold that I was legally the Vice-President.

But as I have worked a long time with you in the cause of Theosophy, and am with you one of those who helped H.P.B. to start the American movement in 1875, as I would aid you in all proper ways, and since I hear that you are to be in London this summer to “settle the Judge case,” as you have proclaimed, I now beg to again point out to you that I do not hold and never have held the office of Vice-President of any Theosophical Society of which I am a member, and that you can consider this as my declaration that I cannot and will not oppose you filling the said so-called office in any way you may see fit, either arbitrarily or other wise.

While on this point I would say to you, that my signing my name hitherto as “Vice-President” was in ignorance of the important facts since ascertained, showing conclusively the de facto character of the act. Should you ask why then I raised the objection so long ago as July, I reply that the Master whom you think I do not hear from directed me to do so, and at that time I found only the fact of non-election in support of it.

Fraternally,
(Signed) William Q. Judge
May 8th,1895
The Vahan June 1, 1895
The Irish Theosophist, June 15, 1895