The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-04-26

terViewed, and to have alleged that
he was until recently the Bishops
body servant, and that while in that
capacity he witnessed great many
occurrences which satisfied him
that the venerable man, IA years of
age, was carrying on general
course of profiigacy in a very
shameful and reckless manner. 1t
seems that the Bishop did resign
early in March last, and it was not
until after himself and family a
couple of weeks ago sailed to
Europe, that the exposures of slleg-
ed criminality were made known.
The story will soon be substantiated
or proven TO be wholly false, and if
false, the vilest and most reprehen-
sible scandal which has yet been
started by a sensation paper.
The Chicago Tribune publishes
this version:
THE VIEW ENTERTAINED BY BISHOP
STEVENS, OF PHILADELPHIA.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, April 1S.-Bish-
OPP Stevens, of the Pennsylvania Do
cese, is an intimate friend of Bishop
McCOskrey, of Michigan, who is ac-
cused sof crime with Miss Richards.
The accused Bishop is we'll known and
much respected in this State, and his
friends are shocked and express great
Indignation at what they term back
biting an enfeebled old man who is on
the verge of the grave. When Bishop
McCoskTey left Michigan, after his
resignation in March, he journeyed to
Buffalo, n. Y, slowly, on account of
his i'll health and weakness. There he
was given medical treatment during
his ten or twelve days stay. Then he
came to this city, where he was the
guest of Mr.. Peter Williamson. Mr..
Williamson does not hesitate to char
acteriZe the charge as infamous. He
has known Bishop McCoskrey init
mately for many years before the lat
ter was Rector of st. Paul's Church in
this city, forty-fOur year ago. The
Bishop
PREACHED HERE TWO WEEKS AGO,
his subject being 'The Prodigal's Re-
turn" and when he loft Philadelphia
to visit his sister in New York, prior
to his departure for Europe on the
26th instant, was in greatly improved
health. Bishop Stevens, on readin g
an abstract of the charges made, said
to-day: "Tbere is prima-tacie case
for the defense of Bishop McCoskrey
and against the charges, the source OF
which Is not known to me, and the
truth of which is not avouched. The
yI.O 10 hot IL nj n
man seventy-four years of age. He
has a wife, children and grandchildren.
He has been q Bishop, faithful to his
charge, for forty-two years. One so
old would be less likely to sin in the
direction charged than in other ways.
Such temptation would be least likly to
come to him. He was obliged to leave
his field of usefulness in Michigan by
reason of diseases of kidneys and blad-
der. So serious had the disease be-
come that he was unable to do the
work of the diocesan charge. He was
unable to visit among the churches.
He was, in fact, quite
INCAPACITATED PHYSICALLY
for the performance of duties that
should be done we'll. The resignation
was then explained with entire salts
faction to those who constitute the
Board of Bishops, which will meet reg
ularly on the 18th of next month, and
who at the next meeting take action
upon Git. Besides the age of more
than three-score and ten, therefore,
the import and grave significance OF
this disease affects the charge. Were
Bishop McCoskrey young man, there
would be more weight in the accusa-
tion."
Bishop Stevens further said that
the clergy can be so easily maligned !;
clergymen are so placed that defense
is so difficult when the breath of SIAN
der shall by chance be blown by the
four winds upon them. A woman
may go into the vestry by the practice
of the church. She may in wickednes;
bring false accusations, and sustain heI
charges by her own word alone, yeI
the word of the woman is stronger
than that Of the clergyman whom she
may seek to blacken, and he is In hel
power.
1t was then casually mentioned By
the Bishop that the Chicago Times, the
newspaper in which the scandal ant
rumors of scandal were printed yes.
terday, seems to bear
A PECULIAR ANTIPATHY TO THE CLER
GY.
1t seems to take pains to attack thu
church. Some time ago, during a dis
cussion about the secular press which
occurred at the Church Union, tn,
Chicago Times was pointed out as be
ing more than ordinarily loose, anC
more than ordinarily harmful. Thi
indirect censure of the paper may have
melted it to be on the outlook for CD
portunities for revenge. 1t is possible
that the scandal may have grown GU
of an old one Of ten years ago. Thel
stories were told which were proved
untrue. The man who told them wa
out of his mind, and died years ago ii
an asylum for the insane. s. ..a4 -l-i