The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-09-28
The CLERICAL SCANDAL

Editor of ''g ~, Attempt to indict til,
fomnd oc @ me Wig for slanderwBH
J far aga'nst Maria Salisburm the ,not1S,
, a.ssmptng 10 leacs her cand" RI 'J pT
G 3g'sa 0y Tie Grand Jury-T,oo Io,ru .r.'
Ta a% zoe PREACHERS in search of tr'i6
a d," o. 'ndicting the ausoed fatasr ' f.,
M 1a"'1sy-A Reporter of lie Ne,o yg grt
f. e,"M amterctems tie naothsr- Ertroct,
from Tie Herald, etc. etc, '' Lux u "''S
sod,, -. sensation caused by the reported
S seuu'',on Of the colored girl, Maria Sails.
oury' by Rev. Henry Mathews still, CON-
..N''es to be the principal topic of converse
w" among all classes of people, the
. m.I FACTS of which were published in The
""'g two weeks ago. On the following
nu'S evening, after the article appeared
giving the most correct occount of the
AFFAIR that has been published, Mr.. Mat.
news In response to letters from his
trends came to Elkton from his home in
n"i'imore county, to ''clear the matter I'D, .
VI "' 'east to see what could be done. He
was met at the depot by Rev. Mr.. Johns,
Vi Alon Presbyterian Church, who was a
warm friend of the unfortunate accused
ana in'company with some other friends he
Went to the Howard House.
The next day, accompanied by two Law
yers OF the Elkton bar, and his friend Rev.
MI johns, the party proceeded to the
mouse OF Clayton Marley, situated in the
aiiey near the Gas House, where Maria had
removed after being released from iail.-
Inc company entered the room where they
proposed to examine the girl, and request
Gu Manley to retire, which he did, but
Immediately returned and protested against
pelng turned out of his own house, and
persisted in being present while the exam
nation was conducted. When the party
was seen approaching the house, divining
the OBJECT Of their visit, messenger was
hastily despatched for Maria's mother, so
that she too might be present at the extra
judicial trial of her daughter. Clayton
Manley pleads in extenuation of his SEEM
lnsly lncourteous refusal to withdraw from
the chamber while the examination was
going on, that he wished to make diver
slon' and thereby delay proceedings till the
girls mother could be summoned. What
occurred on this examination is related by
the Herald's special correspondent, who
says:
"When he (Mathews) went in she met him
calmly, and when he asked why she had told
the terrible story about him, she said, All
| had to, l had to, and you know, Mr..
it is true, and during all the
talk he and the attorneys had with her
she did not finch from her first declara-
tion," That this is substantially what &C.
Cured at this examination, we were assur-
ed by Rev. Mr.. Johns shortly after it took
place; though we believe the questioning
was conducted by one of the attorneys and
not by Mr.. Mathews in person, as report
ed by the Herald's correspondent.
This interview or examination took place
early on Tuesday of last week. The next
steps taken for relief, having failed in the
first attempt, appears to have been to the
room Of the Grand Jury. Now the most
singular part of the judicial proceedings
which was about to follow in the attempt
to saddle part of this load upon the Shout
ders of the Editor of this paper, who re-
peated, without adding one iota, or ex-
pressing shadow of opinion, in the prem
Uses, as to the guilt or innocence of the
accused, the story that had been told by
the girl and which had been in the mouth
of every person in the county for nearly a
week, was that the principal whose inno-
cence was to be indicated by procuring
an indictment for SANDER against us, did
not enter the Grand Jury room, but two
friends of his, DR.. R. C. Mackall and Rev.
John Squier acted as complainants, both
of whom had heard all the particulars of
the story days before it was published, and
one of them had not read the publication
till it was shown to him after coming to
Elkton. Why, when Mr.. Mathews was
here in Elkton, did he not 60 to the Clerks
desk, be sworn in the customary manner
to true answers made to such questions as
might be propounded to him by the Grand
Jury, touching the truth of the charge
which he intended to PREFER This cause
would have gone far toward generating
him in the eyes of many whose minds were
in doubt. 1t was clearly the duty OF the
Grand Jury to have summoned Mr.. Mat
hews before them, or to have refused to
entertain complaint preferred in so round
about manner. We have never, under the
heard of a similar proceed
ing, where the friends of party appeared
to present case they knew nothing more
about than did every member of the Grand
Jury, while the principal remained outside
within call, and who could have at least
sworn to the truth of the statement. We
challenge the records of Cecil County
Court to produce similar instance. The
Grand Jury appear to have viewed the
natter III us Gluc liSHI az AtaSe, stho oiS-
posed of the case on Thursday by ignoring
he bill The accused was present on the
so was the mother and child, and
he court in session; if the minister was
innocent ana an investigation which would
sift the matter, was desired,
yhy was the case not taken directly into
Courto In place of this everything like
judicial investigation was carefully avoided.
Answer these questions, ye who are inter-
,sted in convincing the public of the inno-
renee of beloved pastor.
The facts necessarily came to the notice
If the Grand Jury that the mother had
made several attempts to desert the child,
md an indictment was found against her,
,ut the bill was also ignored. Had true
,ill been found it was the intention to
,ush it to trial Immediately, and this would
lave brought the matter before the court
where it could have been thoroughly sifted.
There was also a movement on foot to
pdict Mr.. Mathews for adultry, and alto
.ether there was fair prospect Of having
. series of law suits, had the Grand Jury
'ound a true bill in any of the cases.
Mr.. Mathews visited Elkton on Satur-
lay last to ascertain what chance there