The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-02
HER PASTOR ACCUSED OF SIN
MRS. EDWARDS's CONFESSION or Gull r
WITH THE REV. MIR. HEROY.

~
WITH THE REV. MIR. HEROY.
Allegations that her Husband Believed, ind on
which he Says he would Bring SUIT, Except
that hs has Condoned the Alleged CrInse.
HANCOCK, Delaware County, N. Y, Feb.
2S.-Hancock Ia one OF the most romantic vii
lagos In New York State. II lies In the shadow
Of lofty spur Of tho Catskills. 100 miles from
New York. where the east and west branches OF
the Delaware River unite close to the north
eastern boundary OF Pennsylvania. The spot
was once famous camping ground OF tho
Indians who called II She-hd,o-k ken, g the we'd
ding Of the waters" Hancock is in the midst OF
the great lumber region OF the Delaware. 1t s
the home Of several OF the leading families OF
Delaware County. and its inhabitants generally
are thrifty. well to do, respectable, and nteli-
gent There are several neat church ediflces in
the village. one OF the most pretentious being
the one belonging to the Methodlsts. Tho mem
bershp Of this church is large. and is under
the jurisdiction OF the New York Conference.
| The Methodist parsonage is n vine-covercd cot
| tage adjoining tho church. and is occupied by
the present pastor the Rev. ]. b. Heroy. with
his wife and children. Mr. Heroy has had
charge Of the church since the spring Of 1876.
He is about s. years old. and has always en-
ioyed an enviable position in the Conference.
age and only few rods distant. lie the home OF
A. J. Edwards. a cabinetmakcr late Of the firm
OF Edwards \ Brother. His family consists OF
his wife and four children. Mrs. Lodiska Ed
| wards Is an attractive woman Of SO. She Is q
member OF the Hancock Methodist Church, and
until recently had a Sunday school class. and
was one OF the most active workers in the church.
few weeks ago Mrs. Edwards suddenly
ceased her attendance at church. and an un-
pleasant report gained circulation that her hus-
band had discovered letter that seemed to
prove the infidelity OF his wife and the guilt Of
her pastor. The letter itself has since been
given to the public by Mr.. Edwards. who says
he found it in his wifes writing desk. his sus-
| picions having already boen aroused. II was
| In the handwriting OF Mr.. Heroy. but bore no
date or signature and was as follows;
Re C Sos WAS \, !" 9 SSsrfS
@ sys e sa sna SSs, al y 9 bns win snail ss
tomorrow, early e can Thanks for your note Glad
regards 20 with this ESsf the same to You wen ~
when l found this letter." Mr.. Edwards
said. knew there was no longer room Tor
| doubt that my domestic happiness was gone.
| Ny wife was calling at a neighbours. l sent for
her at once. When she came in l showed her
:, In the name OF Heaven. Lodiska." said.
what does this mean 2"
She elias ped her hands over her face and said:
Then She was afraid would do her harm.
! hut assured her that l had no such intention.
ST GgS my wo ETSy and an sHa
| Mr. Edwards at once wrote TO Mr.. Heroy. en-
closing a copy OF the note he had found. Il
the class book" he wrote. for ! do not think
she is any more At to belong to the church than
you are" To this the pastor replied. in n long
letter. denying that there had ever been any i'm
proper intimacy between himself and Mrs Ed
Siderable eorreepondence between them. but
| maintained that II was harmless. and in many
instances the letters were on matters OF bust
he had receiTed from Mrs ESSsra 10 H WITCH
he declared the one Mr.. Edwards had found
was reply. This copied note was one in which
Mira. Edwards made inquiry rs to whether
mer0y nad done an e 5 for her Is he had
Mrs. Edwards seems 10 have made a fuil con-
fcsson to her husband on the discovery Of the
letter; at any rate she told him that this alleged
| copy was not copy OF the note she had written.
| She produced tue following as what she had
written 70 her pastor. the reply to which her
| husband had found:
This written while in church Can you come in this
s sS%s au ' S'' church for
This was written in November last. while her
| husband was out OF town.
| On the sth OF the present month Mrs Edwards
! placed in her husbands hands n confession,
! made on! n legal form, and sworn TO before
| Justice W. II. Maynard. In II she declares that
/ she mRkee this confession voluntarily and
| without fear or compulsion Of her husband or
| any other person. but because she feels very
guilty; that she has committed a great sin.
! 10 - 49,
! IL TO he "a duty sho owes 10 herself. her family
and her God 10 make confession"
The affidavit goes on TO give the history OF the
origin and progress Of her alleged criminal in
/ timacy with Heroy. In the summer Of 1877
she says. they arranged signal between them.
" Mr.. leroy suggested that whom was alone l
| should spread my hand on a window pane in
| the window looking toward the parsonage and
| know. When he saw this signal made he came
over and at his suggestion we agreed to deposit
our correspondence behind the cushion in my
| pew in church. where each could get the other
notes. md whore. my pastor said. they would be
during the Sabbath service. Mr.. Heroy fro.
quently said that we must b. extremely careful
| would be the destruction OF us both. He onco
SAID TO me that l must use my husband well,
and not think any less OF him. for he would
| then be hess likely 10 mistrust US. He further
said that he thought rs much OF his wife US he
| ever had"
Alter receiving this confession the husband
took steps 70 begin criminal suit against Mr..
| Heroy. but the fact that he Ind condoned his
wife,, crime made such pIoceedings impossi-
| Bile. Ho says. however. that he has tried in
| every way 10 bring the matter before the church
authorities, but that the Presiding Elder pays
Mr.. Edwards thinks. \" is that Mr.. Heroy's time
| will be out here next month. and no will BE- set
tied in more distant part OF the district. aud
the church will thus be saved the Disgrace Of a
NV opinion is. said N. G. HYATT. an officer
In the Hancock Methodist Church that the
| church should investigate this matter Mt once.
II Mr.. Hrroy Is innocent. he cannot AFFORD 10 lie
good Of this charge. and OF any charge he may
be assigned to. demand that there should BIZ n
| full and impartial investigation"
The Rev. Mr. Heroy was asked II he desired
10 c9nlradiet ne charges made IN M l 81; ~
%lSS ,o na a'S 20 e 9g
whole matter in our own hands. i have taken le-
| gal counsel, and am advised TO say nothing. Tho
whole scandal Is tue work OF a poor weak sister
and a Jealous husband"
NM NJ Her2y J pleasant SaT gentlemen VIII l9ng
] preacher IN n nelknDOrlnE village. and brother