The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-03-16

THE HUSTON SCANDAL.
The investigation in the Huston scandal
has established the guilt Of the reverend
seducer. 1t now appears that he had laid
a regular trap for the seduction of the
child, and had become so infatuated that
he followed her from place to place, and
had had regular meetings with her in his
own library, under the pretence Of teaching
her
THE WAY SHE SHOULD 90,
and in these interviews this pretended
divine-this wolf in sleeps cothing-be-
guiled the innocent child from the path of
virtue. What I said in my last relating TO
the letter sent to our modern Joseph has
been somewhat modified, and the true
facts Of the matter have been given to the
public. The young girl was pupil at one
of our public schools, and the principal,
hearing that q certain young man had
something to communicate, sent for him,
stating that he desired to have private
and confidential talk with him. The young
mana photographer, with whom the
young girl was previously acquainted
made his appearance in due course of time,
and, as before stated, a private and conf
Dental talk was the result.
The young man denied having any know
ledge Of anything criminal, except what he
knew by hearsay. The next day the young
man came to the teacher and showed him q
note which he had received from the girl
since their interview. The note made no
allusion to DR.. Huston, and contained no
improper proposals but they were sug-
gested, which the teacher thought justified
him in requesting her withdrawal from
school by her mother, who is also a
teacher
AN OPEN CONFESSION.
The note which was received by our
modern Joseph from the young girl was
read to her mother, in her presence, and
the teacher advised her to make an open
confession to her mother, which she did.
The substance Of her statement is as
follows:
About two years ago the reverend gentle
man began to pay particular attention to
he young girl, protesting q great interest
in her and her education visited her fire.
quently, and invited her to see him in his
own house-in his study; and the mother
felt gratified and relieved by the interest
thus taken in her daughter The girl
/ s&ataI - L. -
perverted her morals, suggesting at the
same time that he would not counsel her to
do anything that was wrong. He became
apparently infatuated, following up his at
tentions assiduously, even appearing at the
school she was attending under pretence Of
being interested in her studies and pre-
gress-at other times land frequently put
ting himself in the way of meeting her on
the street. Incredible as it may seem, the
girl stated to her mother that Mr.. Hus-
ton had taken her to two houses of assigna-
ton, one Of which was kept by colored
woman who was a former servant in Mr.
Illusions house, and who came from the
South with him.
After the disclosures which the girl made
to the mother, the latter came to the
teacher for advice, and he recommended
her to go to the pastor of the church. The
girl explains the writing Of the letter to
the photographer, alleging that she had
been instigated thereto by the vile sug-
gestion Of preventing any evil consequences
from previous criminal intimacy.
MINISTERIAL VISITORS.
Upon the charge being made known TO
them, two gentlemen-one a prominent
minister of the denomination to which Mr.
Huston was attached in this city-visited
him on Monday morning last. The minis
terial visitors told Huston that they had
come to tell him Of some unpleasant news,
of which, Huston at once said he was cogni-
zant, and emphatically denied the charge
He commenced a number Of explanations,
one of which was that the girl was mono
maniac on the subject of designation
houses that she had told him that mum
Der of girls, members of different churches,
had visited such houses. He was, how
ever, checked in such remarks, and re-
minded of his duty in such case, when he
asked, ''What am to DOR The reverend
visitor replied, '-Give up your parchment
license to preach) and leave the city at
once" This conclusion, he said, he had
already arrived at.
In the course of the interview Mr.. Huston
TOOK UP BIBLE
and, pressing it to his heart, in a kneeline
posture, and with uplfted arm, declared he
was innocent of the charge. Others Joined
afterwards in advising Mr.. Huston to leave
the city, in order to allay the excitement
and in the meantime an investigation could
be had. He left the city on Wednesday
night, and it is thought that he went to
Ohio.
WHAT WILL BE DONE ABOUT II
The matter will be brought before the
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, which meets next week ut
Warrenton, Va. In the meantime the pre-
siding Elder will gather the facts, As far -
possible, preparatory to the case being laid
before the Conference.
DR. Huston, previous to this charge, was
respected and loved by one Of the largest
and most respectable congregations in this
city. As a minister, he was earnest and
eloquent-one Of the emotional sort-and
easily impressed an audience. He was en-
ceedingly affable to his flock, and seemed to
take especial interest in the young ladies OF
his congregation, whom, it is said, he had n
particular fondness for kissing. This latter
trait in his character was often the subject
Of comment; but as he was an elderly
gentleman (being about 50 years Of agel,
and minister of the Gospel, to thus salute
the younger members of his flock was not
generally considered grave offence.