"Chicago Reading Room Affair"

In the Chicago community, a few Baha’is started their own group called the “Reading Room” against the wishes of the Chicago House of Spirituality. Several letters among the Hannen papers allude to this situation. One of the people involved with the Reading Room was declared a Covenant-breaker by ‘Abdu'l-Baha, and as a result of this person’s disobedience, a series of incidents created quite a stir in the community. I came across information in Nathan Rutstein’s book about Corinne True that offered some clarity: In Chicago, the Bahá’í army’s campaign wasn’t going  well. Ever since 1910 or 1911, undercurrents of disunity had been festering which erupted in 1917-1918. The Master had noted the situation during His visits to Chicago in 1912 and had privately warned both Corinne True and Dr. Bagdadi to be alert to signs of  disobedience to the Covenant of Baha'u'llah, of which He was the appointed Center. The episode became known as the “Chicago  Reading Room Affair,” named after the Reading Room which Luella Kirchner opened in 1913, with the approval of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

(Aflame with Devotion - The Hannen and Knobloch Families and the Early Days of the Baha'i Faith by Judy Hannen Moe)

https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Aflame-with-Devotion-P9587.aspx