Charles Sotheran

Charles Sotheran was present at the founding of the Theosophical Society in September, 1875. Historian Josephine Ransom said of him:

CHARLES SOTHERAN was a relative of the famous London booksellers of the same name. He was with Sabin and Sons, Book-sellers, New York, and connected in a literary way with their journal The American Bibliopolist. His temperament kept him and his friends in a turmoil. Three months after The Society was formed there was trouble, as Sotheran not only made inflammatory speeches at a political street meeting, to which H. P. B. objected, but he wrote bitterly in the newspapers against her and The Society. His resignation was accepted, and for the sake of protection, The Society was made into a secret body, with signs and passwords. Six months later Sotheran apologised and was taken back into membership. He gave useful help to H. P. B. in finding quotations and borrowing books for her during the writing of Isis Unveiled. Sotheran later published a small short-lived journal called The Echo. He became a considerable nuisance to H. P. B. and H. S. O., and after their departure to India was not again mentioned.