Theos-Talk Archives (June 2007 Message tt00174)

Fullerton Bio material


  Biographical quotes below, but basics 
are that Alexander Fullerton was Judge's 
"right hand man" and perhaps a secretary on 
"The Path," and also edited Judge's 
"Theosophical Forum."  He was born in 1841, 
and so was in his 40's when he began to 
work on the Path.  One thing I noticed 
is that while much editorial-type material, 
reviews, etc. are unsigned in The Path 
(and Judge says in the opening disclaimer 
that he takes responsibility for unsigned 
material), Fullerton's frequent "Literary 
Notes" material is signed by him. (Perhaps 
by Judge's request, as it is often a little 
strange or critical.)  Fullerton was one 
of the few people who stayed with the Adyar 
TS after the splitting off of the American 
TS to follow Judge, and probably one of 
the "9" in the 190 to 9 vote at the Boston 
Convention to form a separate Society.  
In later years, Fullerton became an outright 
enemy of Katherine Tingley (when Tingley 
found out Fullerton was a homosexual, she 
would have nothing more to do with him), 
and Fullerton was apparently responsible 
for getting an investigation into (unfounded) 
accusations of mistreatment of children 
at Point Loma.  Later, a boy "seduced" by 
Fullerton was brought to Point Loma in 
hopes of recuperation.  Incriminating 
letters from Fullerton to the boy were 
shown to Tingley.  Tingley sent the letters 
to the "New York Society for the Suppression 
of Vice,"  Fullerton was brought to court, 
adjudged insane and committed to an institution.


Fullerton Biographical Quotes:


   "..... scurrilous charges against Katherine Tingley's own morals. 
Although she could not yet prove it in court, she was sure that back
of these charges was the leader of the American Adyar lodges,
Alexander Fullerton.  Fulleton had been one of the theosophical
leaders at the New York headquarters before the Judge sucession
occurred. Discovering then that he was a homosexual, she refused to
have anything more to do with him.  When the Society plit, he was
appointed by Olcott to head the Adyar remnant in America, his vice not
being generally known...." (California Utopia:  Point Loma, Greenwalt,
1978, p. 62)


   In a big public row, the accusations against Tingley, et. al., were
admitted unfounded.


   "Although Katherine Tingley had suffered much at the hands of
Alexander Fullerton, head of the Adyar Society in America, who she
believed had set the Gerry Society upon the Cuban children, she
withheld making public any such charge against him.  But a few years
later, when worried parents of a boy seduced by Fullerton brought the
lad to Point Loma to be rehavilitated and showed her incriminating
letters from the New Yorker to the boy, she could retrain her
indignation no longer.  She had letters photostated and sent the
originals to Anthony Comstock, that hound of evildoers, who was head
of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice.  In time, she
heard from Comstock that Fullerton had been arraigned in the Federal
Court in 1910.  'I am glad," wrote the crusader, 'that there is a
woman so brave and heroic in the defense of the boys, as Mrs.
Tingley.' Fullerton was adjudged insane and committed to an
institution."  (Ibid., pp. 64-65)


Bio Material in "The Judge Case" :


   "(July 21, 1913) Alexander Fullerton died in Flushing, New York
(Born Sep. 12, 1841 in Philadelphia).

    "He attended school when he was four years old, entered Princeton
University in 1860 and graduated in 1864.  He was ordained Deacon in
the Episcopal Cathedral Church, Burlington, New Jersey, in June 1865.
 In 1875, at his own request, Mr. Fullerton was deposed from the
ministry of the Episcopal Church. He then took up the study of law, at
the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in June 1877.  He never
applied for admission to the bar.


    "He joined the T.S. in May 1887.  As there was no Theosophical
work for him in New York at the time, he offered his services to Col.
Olcott as his Private Secretary.  He sailed for England on August 1888
and passed some days in London, twice visiting H.P.B. at the 'odd
little cottage near the Crystal Palace at Sydenham" before continuing
to India.  His stay at Adyar was very brief due to his physical
collapse, aggravated by a poisonous bite.  He returned to New York
three months to the day he had left.


    "Upon his return he discovered that the Aryan Branch had grown in
membership.  He replaced the ailing Mr. Samuel Clapp as Mr. Judge's
office assistant.  He served in that capacity until the American
Section T.S. declared it entire autonomy, and was from then on called
The Theosophical Society in America.


    "In January, 1889, he returned to London on business in response
to telegrams from H.P.B.  His stay was expected to be indefinite, but
in fact lasted only a few weeks.  H.P.B. by then had moved to
Lansdowne Road.


    "When he returned to New York he discovered that Mr. Judge's
offices had moved to Park Row and a new publication, The Theosophical
Forum, was started in April 1889. Fuller was made Editor.


   "In the autumn of 1895 he was elected General Secretary of the
revamped American Section of the T.S.  He was re-elected year after
year until 1907 when he opposed Annie Besant regarding the 'Leadbeater
affair."  He lost to Dr. Weller van Hook, an ardent disciple of
Leadbeater."  ("The Judge Case," Pelletier, Edmonton T.S., 2004, Sec.
I, p. 243 - original sources given therein.)


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