The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-09-14
A Great Clerical Scandal.-Our town

A Great Clerical Scandal.-Our town
was thrown into state of intense excite
ment on Tuesday morning last by the re-
port of an intrigue between former cler-
ical gentleman of Elkton, who stood very
high in the estimation Of his congregation,
and moved in the first circles of Elkton
society, and bright mulatto servant girl,
who had lived for several years in his
family. The girl was native of this town,
but left with the minister few months
ago, and continued as servant in his family
up to about three or four weeks since.
On Monday afternoon last, Constable
Davis, of North East, brought the girl
with her child, ten days old, from North
East, and placed her in the custody of
Sheriff Thomas, who provided her with
place in Jail. The girl had been seen by
two men who were working in a field near
the North East Depot, about one O'clock,
on Monday, enter the field not far from
where they were at work, carrying a small
bundle. After she had passed along path
that led through patch of high weeds,
they noticed that she had not the bundle
with her, and as her movements were rath-
er singular, they went to the place where
she had left the bundle and found it con-
tanned an infant. The girl, after leaving
the child, made a detour to reach the De-
pot, and the men who had been watching
her started direct for the Station, where
they arrived before the mother. They re-
ported the fact to Mr.. Alexander, the
Agent, who sent for Esquire Benjamin
and Constable Davis. The officers hearing
the story of the men, took charge of the
girl, and accused her of deserving her in
FAINT. She confessed at once and accom-
panied the officers to the spot where the
child was found, aud it and the mother
were taken back to the Station. She was
then required by the Magistrate to disclose
the name of the father, on oath, which she
did without hesitation, charging the afore-
said clerical gentleman with the paternity
of the child.
The girl was visited in Jail by number
of persons on Tuesday, among the number
were several of the most respectable ladies,
embers-some of them at least-of the
accused minister's congregation, while he
was in the ministry here. Her story was
substantially as follows: The child was
born ON the both of August, at the house
of colored family in Baltimore. Two
weeks previous to that time she had left
the ministers house ostensibly for the pur-
pose of returning to Elkton where her
mother lives. The clerical gentleman &C
companied her to the city, and conducting
her to the door of a house where colored
family lived, gave her twenty-five dollars
and left her. She went into the house,
and after stating her case to the woman,
the latter told her she was unable to &C
commodate her, but would hunt "a place
for her to stay. This woman made ar
rangements with some of her relatives-a
brother-in-law we believe-where the girl
went and remained till ten days after her
confinement. Her reverend seducer had
advised her to leave the child on some
door step. This she intended to do, but
being weak she was unable 10 find a favor
able opportunity to thus rid herself of the
infant, and being young and inexperienced
in crime, the infant, in place Of becoming
founding, or perishing, remains with its
mother as witness against the man who
could enter the pulpit and preach the gos-
pei, while in secret he was holding crimi-
nal intercourse with young and inexper-
fenced colored servant girl.
On Monday morning last, the girl with
her infant procured ticket for Elkton.-
When the cars reached North East, the
dread and shame of facing her mother and
other acquaintance at home, induced her
to get out of the cars there, where she re-
manned in perplexity and agony of mind,
which are perhaps more easily imagined
than described. Growing desperate over
her situation, she finally resolved to find
some place to leave the child where it
would be found. Seeing two men blowing
in field not far from the Depot she con-
ceived the plan of going through the field
and leaving the infant in the path in hopes
they would discover it. This poor plan
she executed with the result above narrat-
ed. We understand that the reverend
gentleman is to be cited before the Presby-
terry which will meet shortly at Newark,
Del, where his case will be investigated
by the Church.
The girl was we'll raised and was one of
the most genteel and comely looking colored
girls about Elkton. Alas, too much so, it
would seem for the clerical gentleman's
weakness. Like the Patriarch of old, he
had an amiable wife, but no heirs, and
the hand maid, young Hager, has fallen
victim to that misfortune.
The girl evinces extreme modification
when visited in her cell, always bursting
into tears; and the child being white, seems
to make the pang all the more acute. If it
was of colored paternity she says she could
endure the shame with more resignation,
which is not very complimentary to the
hlua vainad Caucasian race