ut the conscience of the convinced suffragists was
aroused. Stirring addresses in St. Louis by Stanton Coit of London and
John Lovejoy Elliott of New York in defense of the English
"militants" brought matters to a crisis and a few bold spirits
decided to reorganize the scattered suffrage forces.

In March, 1910, Mrs. Florence Wyman Richardson, Miss Marie R. Garesche
and Miss Florence Richardson (later Mrs. Roland R. Usher) barely out
of her teens, renounced society and invited twenty or twenty-five
women, whom they thought might be interested, to meet in Miss
Garesche's home. Only five responded, Miss Bertha Rombauer, Miss
Jennie M. A. Jones, Mrs. Robert Atkinson, Miss Lillian Heltzell and
Mrs. Dan Knefler. Not at all daunted it was decided as a first step to
engage a prominent lecturer. Miss Ethel Arnold, the well-known
Englishwoman, a suffragist but not a "militant," was then touring this
country and before the meeting adjourned a telegram was sent to her
and the eight women present guaranteed the sum to cover her charge and
the rent of a hall. As her itinerary would bring her to St. Louis
about the middle of April it was thought best to organize immediately,
so that the publicity which would undoubtedly be given to Miss Arnold
would be shared by the infant society. A circular letter outlining the
project was sent broadcast and April 8 about fifty women gathered at
the residence of Mrs. Richardson and effected an organization. Thus
came into being the St. Louis Equal Suffrage League, which was
destined to play the principal part in winning the vote for the women
of the State. The following officers were elected: President, Mrs.
Richardson; first vice-president, Miss Garesche; second, Mrs.
Atkinson; corresponding secretary, Miss Rombauer; recording secretary,
Miss Heltzell; treasurer, Mrs. Knefler; auditor, Mrs. Leslie Thompson.

Miss Arnold's lecture took place April 11 and her charm, culture and
cogent reasoning won many friends to the cause and disarmed many of
its opponents. Branch organizations were soon formed in the northern
and southern parts of the city with Mrs. Atlanta Hecker and Miss
Cecilia Razovsky as presidents. Meetings were held in the Cabanne
Branch Library and before the end of the year the members had
increased to 275.[103] During the first year the league brought a
number of lecturers to the city, realizing that this was the most
valuable form of propaganda in a community so entrenched in
conserv