New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-12
DYNAMITE DISP1TCHES.

All New-Y York, and especially so much of
New York as is interested in church matters,
knows that the Rev. Alvah Wiswall, Master of
st. Johns Guild, is in trouble respecting that
charity and his wife, and that his dOings and
dement's and domestic affairs are at present
undergoing investigation by committee. On
Tuesday last Mr. Wiswall was examined in
proDria persona, and unfolded a tale of woe
which, if it is to be credited, shows that his
life must have been singularly exempt from
domestic happiness. He may or he may not
have mismanaged the affairs of st. Johns
Guild. That is point upon which we
do not propose TO express an OPINION.
But when a man seriously testiies that in the
rosy flush of his honeymoon his wife was jeal-
Gus because he kissed little girl five years
DID, we can well imagine, If he speaks the
truth, what dire eclipse all the subsequent
moons must have suffered. Indeed there was
something droll as well as dismal in the dOcu-
menta1y evidence which this unfortunate
clergyman laid before the committee. After
Mr.. and Mrs. Wswall began to live apart, the
comparative happiness which might have re-
suited from this judicious arrangement was
seriously disturbed by the postal cards which
she was in the habit of sending to him, OF
which this is a favorable specimen: 81 sent
"you word that your child wanted an umbrella;
"better spend less on your mistresses and
champagne, and send some money to your
"wife and child" Here is another sample
brick: Il wrote to you that Jennie had
"bad cough but received no reply. Will you
"pay the sdoctOrs' bills or let her diet What
"yOu and your mstresSes are spending In
"bals would be enough" The umbrella
seems to have been Il standing grievance (as
that article often is), for we find the lady
again writing: 81 sent you word last week
chat your child wanted an umbrella, so
chat she might not get sunstroke.'
Sometimes the addresses were impressive, as
for instance, "The Charitable Alvah Wis
WALL Gloves were demanded, "good ones
"and not made of moih-eatcn cloth out
"of IS store" Then the daughter
inflated her mother or was taught
to write insulting letters to her father.
She seems to have been precOciously
sharp Some feathers were sent her which she
returned with the comments "Papa's present,
Z" TO be restored to the chicken it came from"
This young lady, Mr.. Wiswall says, had been
trained "tO spit in his face" and to call him
beast" The reverend gentleman. with tears
in his eyes, admitted that upon one occasion
he called his wife "a hag." or, as another re-
port has it, ga hog" and that he told her "to
" 90 to a hole" She had an income of 800 !;
his own was about 81 900, and sometimes larger,
but she always got the greatest share of it,,
spending $50 for shoes in a single month and
5000 for gloves and handerchiefs in six months.
We do not remember ever to have read a
more dreadful picture of domestic infclicty.
1t seems all the more painful when we con-
slider the social position of both parties and
the sacred profession of one of them. VOltaire's
opinion that dirty linen should be washed at
home will naturally recur to the reader. Why
do not people keep their distressing tiffs and
auarres and misunderstanding and scoding
matches to themselves Why must great and
most respectable church be dlsquieted by these
immensely vulgar revelations9 Why didn't
Bishop Potter take this ill-starred pair in hand,
and, with that mild force of which he is a
master, compel them to behave themselves 7
Alas there is nothing covered which shall
not be uncovered, and nothing hidden which
shall not be revealed. Everybody has our
sympathy, including Mrs. Wiswal, who appears
TO be of somewhat unhappy temper Mr..
Wiswall, who if not imprudent, is at least
unfortunate the daughter, whose young life
cannot be very happy and the committee COM
PEELED to listen to all this melancholy testi-