Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-05-03
From our own Correspondent.
Letter from Chicago.
THE M'CosKRY sCANDAL-DEATH OF A CHICAGO
PIONEER.
CurC,co Anril % 1873

THE M'cosKRY sCANDAL-DEATH OF A CHICAGO
PIONEER.
CHICAGO, April %, 1873.
To the Editor OF the Free Press and Times.
For several days past the Chicago Times
and other Western papers have been pub
fishing page after page of most vile and
criminal scandal about the venerable Bishop
McCoskry, Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese
of Michigan, and Mrs. Bannister (nee
Fanny Richards, formerly ward Of the aged
Bishop. charging them with criminal init
macy, publishing numerous letters purport-
ing to have been written by him to the girl,
stating that he finally tired of her. and,
through false representations, brought about
marriage between her and an innocent
young man named Bannister. Further, that
these letters, reeking with filth, were taken
from her, some of them bearing the Bishops
signature, and placed in the hands of the
standing committee of the diocese, who de-
manded the immediate resignation of the
Bishop that he resigned, and, to hide his
shame from his wife, started for Europe, to
end bis days in seclusion that these letters
were placed in an envelope by the COM
mittee, carefully sealed and placed in the
vault of the First National Bank of Detroit,
subject to the demands of the House of
Bishops.
Bishop MeCoskry has been stopping at the
house of DR.. Erskine Mason, No. ll3 West
44th street, New York, and has telegraphed
his unqualified denial of the charges. His
friends assert that he will very soon return
and demand thorough investigation. They
say he had started for Europe on account of
his failing health and inirm age. being now
over "A years old. Mrs. BaInister also pub
fishes complete denial of the charges.
She says the letters arc all forgeries,
executed by a discarded lover named
George Mcconnell, who, she says, is
an adept at initiating the handwriting
of others that he stole from her
writing desk three or four letters that the
Bishop had written to her, and from them
initiated the Bishops handwriting that he
boosted to her that he would be revenged on
her, and swore he would ''put up job on
her and the Bishop that would knock
Beecher out of sight" Mrs. Bannister
says 81 have at various times received four
or five letters from the Bishop, but they
were all just such letters as good Christian
minister might write to girl of fifteen I'M
der his charge. lie never wrote me a let
ter that ne did not sign, and they were all
noble and pure in their language. pro-
test before God that am an innocent wo-
man. and the victim of great scandal
My relations with the Bishop were always
those of the most honorable character. The
stories that have got into the papers are lies
from beginning to end, invented by that
wretohed fellow, George Mcconnell. whom |
did so much for. and whom thought 40
much of, until found him a mean sneak
thief. got that fellow employment on the
Post and Tribune, through the Bishops in
flucnce, and tried to do all could for him
but he was a mean fellow, and when | gave
him up he swore he would have revenge.
1t seems this Mcconnell publishes in
Detroit small, vile sheet, called Roses
Nose.
At the first outburst of this scandal, the
public here was forced to be credulous, on
account OF the overwhelming amount and
nature of the published evidence but now
there seems to he great reaction, and those
who do not in their hearts love scandal, be
lieve the Bishop to be innocent. Bishop
Perry, Of Iowa, has published card appeal
ing to the public for suspension OF Judg-
ment in the case of Bishop McCOskry. lie
thinks it to DO a cruel defamation.
1t is stated that Bishop McCoskry has de-
manded a court of Rt. Rev. Bishop Smith, OF
Kentucky, the presiding bishop. and tho
court will undoubtedly DO called 10 sit as
Judicial body Of the church. 1t will be com
posed of Bishops Gillespie, now serving for
both the Eastern and Western Dioceses of
Michigan !; McLaren of Illinois. Bedell Of
Ohio, and Talbot of Indiana, the canon
prescribing that the tribunal shall be com
posed of the bishops of the surrounding do
ceses. A candid gentleman in Detroit, who
has carefully examined the case, by looking
at the testimony carefully and talking with
Mrs. Bannister. publishes, to-day, his conclu-
sions as follows
My conclusions after all l have seen and heard.
are that the Bishop is not guilty. II must he re-
/. That he is a very old man, who has long suf-
Tered from one of the diseascs incidental To Sc
nifty.
p That Mrs. Bannster is woman Of say IS. and
at the time Of the alleged less than 10 years
of age, slight. and Insignificant in every way.
3. That the probabilities all point to the absolute