6 July 1917 Woodyard Closed for Summer
9 July 1917 City Council Stages Row; New Line-up
10 July 1917 'Retain Bureau' Will Be Appeal
11 July 1917 Denies Attempt to Recall Mayor
13 July 1917 Offer Petition
16 July 1917 Woman's Protective Bureau, Pastor Opposes "Log Rolling"
17 July 1917 Protective Bureau is Abolished by Council
18 July 1917 Raid On Protective Bureau Is Charged (see below)
Oakland Tribune, July 18, 1917
Attorney for Mrs. Whitnah Says Personal Property and Correspondence Was Taken
Room Needed for Board, Says Mayor
Council Hears Statement That Office Was Rifled of Contents; Davie Voices Denial
Less than half an hour after the ordinance was passed yesterday abolishing the Woman's Protective Bureau, a raid was made upon the office of Mrs. Beatrice McCall Whitnah, secretary of the bureau, on the sixth floor of the city hall by Head Janitor Lawrence under the orders of Mayor John L. Davie and her books and personal correspondence seized and taken to the Mayor's office, according to charges made in the city council this morning by Attorney Henry E. Skinner, representing Mrs. Whitnah.
"No raid was ordered or made," answered Mayor Davie. "The room was needed immediately for the use of the exemption board, and as the bureau was no longer in existence, the rooms were ordered to be made ready for the new occupants. I know nothing of Mrs. Whitnah's correspondence or books. I have no interest in them."
Makes Charge.
Skinner's chargers were made after Commissioner W.H. Edwards had objected to granting Mrs. Whitnah's request that she be allowed to destroy the confidential records of her department, which contain intimate details of the personal history of women who have appealed to the bureau for aid. In a communication ot the council, she asked that she be permitted to destroy these confidences which had been made to her with the understanding that they would be seen by no eyes save her own.
After the letter had been read Skinner addressed the Council on behalf of Mrs. Whitnah, stating that it was not her desire to burn any documents other than those which were of a private nature and which had not bearing upon the public records of the department. It would be a cause of intense humiliation ot the women involved, he said, if these revelations of domestic and personal unhappiness were read by others.
"Inasmuch as the Council has been expending the money for this bureau," declared Commissioner Edwards, "I think that the mayor should be empowered to appoint a committee of three or five members to go over these records. We should know what has been accomplished. Public money has been expended, and the public has a right to know how it was spent."
"The records to which we are referring," replied Skinner, "have nothing to do with the expendigure of public money. They are the confidential records and are now in Mrs. Whitnah's possession. She intends to keep them. They are now in a safe place."
Personal Property.
Edwards insisted that he could see no reason why there should be any records in the office that could not be read by public officials. He intimated that Mrs. Whitnah was exceeding her rights in retaining the papers.
"Well, since you are taking that attitude," said Skinner, "I will inform you that Mrs. Whitnah's personal correspondence, books and some of her personal property were takne from ther rooms by the janitor yesterday and are now in the possession of your mayor. We ask you to adopt a resolution asking your mayor to return this property to its owner."
"Whatever is there belongs to the city," said Mayor Davie, after a moment's silence. "I have no interest in her correspondence."
"There might be matters there that would be of importance for us to know," insisted Edwards.
"Might there not something arise in the course of human events," interpolated Commissioner Morse, "that would make these records of use to the city?"
Secrets Revealed.
"Absolutely nothing," replied Skinner. "Those records contain secrets of personal life revealed to Mrs. Whitnah with the understanding that she would keep the confidence inviolate. Your ordinance establishing the bureau provides that such a confidential record should be kept. Mrs. Whitnah asks that she be allowed to destroy the record."
"Does that mean confidential from the public?" queried Edwards.
"Confidential has only one meaning that I know of," retorted Skinner.
Here Mayor Davie spoke again. "There was no raid," he said. "We needed that room for the exemption board. I know nothing about the correspondence and books."
"If Mrs. Whitnah had been called in," said Skinner, "she might have gone over her records with you in a business-like manner. There was no necessity for entering her rooms during her absence the moment after she had ceased to be secretary of the bureau."
Commissioner Edwards insisted that the records should be gone over by a committee. On the suggestion of Commissioner Jackson, it was resolve that the records be gone over by Mrs. Whitnah with the officers of the Associated Charities and Mrs. S.C.Borland and Dr. Susan B. Fenton.