The Family Club was formed in 1901 after Ambrose Bierce wrote a poem that seemed to predict President William McKinley 's death by an assassin 's bullet . The Hearst chain of newspapers including the " San Francisco Examiner " and others owned by William Randolph Hearst published the poem , and some of the Bohemian Club members took offense . When McKinley was assassinated shortly thereafter , opponents of Hearst created a fervor over the poem 's publication and banned Hearst newspapers from the premises . A group of 14 reporters , editors , and other Hearst newsmen , in the spirit of true Bohemians and asserting freedom of the press , resigned in protest to the censorship , formed their own club , and called it " The Family "
McKinley was assassinated
Assassination of William McKinley
The Family (club)