New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-07
THE PRESBYTERY SURPRISED
MRS. Ladder APPEARS AS A WITNESS

MRS. Ladder APPEARS AS A WITNESS.
AGAINST HER pocroRs ADVICE SHE GIVES HER
TESTIMONY IN Favor OF MR.. STANTON
Yesterday was the eighth day of the trial of
NE the Rev. Benjamin stsunton before tho Brook
I'm Presbytery. There was genuine surprise
n the appearance upon tho wtnessstand OF Mrs. Mary
Ladder. who implicitly referred of the spec
tncatlons charging Mr. staunton with conduct uubc-
coming minister In that he kept at his house woman
70 whom he gave and from whom he received such at
ssntion IS caused HE wife pain and suffer
ing An affidavit had been made by Mira
Ladder, but there was an evident
purpose Of excluding all aiiavits the defence deter
mined produce Mrs. Ladder despite the fact that she
III and 200 miles from the city. Her nervous pros
tation such that her physician had forbidden bor
TO testify. snc carried into the church
pastors study and seated large Sleepy Hollow chair
with pillow under her head. Her face pale aud
contracted strongly with her black aud syes Her
regular features wore swoet expression. Her vooo
was weak Her evidence gwen In response to questions
by Dr. Carpenter was IN substance IS follows;
resided under the same roof with Mr. saunton at one
s Ss @ dSd s ad saS s
so%d%Sl always ., perfect se0tiIsa1, As5
was taken to MT staSnops hse When an, learned
aw TO The house and arranged my furniture Mr. stapDon
s@ @Ss %s the "s' M @
had another home OF my own days told
Pspy i1i aS' SS 'i
e xay o1e not much %ss said and Mr. asked
ins so ssi had that my boy
would not return to the house When we got to the house
me s with Y Ss and S s was too c%an
nothing about being compelled to ask and did not
appear dispease She was aerward Just as friendly TO me
p before / remained about month When was about
sorry She had acted as she had ' '"'" '
The witness was asked for her IMPRESSIONS of Mrs.
stsunton as wife, and said she perferred to say moth
Ing about her,
onave there existed Improper relations at any
time between you aud Mr.. staunton mo sir. -.
Odd he ever attentions unbecoDing an honest
man and Christian clergyman AmNo sir
aWsre ever lying ACROSS his lap In the Oa'omen'o OF
Q-Do you say so positively Al DO
.sMr siaaStOn Willie living at house, At
On her animation Mrs Ladder said she
remember going home from church with Mr. stannton
ton upstairs and called her mp. She denied any
such occurrence and also that she ever sat with Mr.
6taunton after midnight. She often sat sewing In the
parlor after Mrs stanton went to bed ;ssbo usually
the rear Of the house such times After she left the
6tauntons house she lived In Myrtcave. Mr. Staunton
wssn the latter was III Mr. sasDton WAS hsro al ali
hours IN the evening MIRA stanton never ,ntimated
10 her that her presence In the house her pain
Their relations we're always pleasant
one occasion she was sitting on her he'd ubntonns her
dress and Mrs saunton put her head In the room out
little boys bod and did not know the time She also
said that sne rsmanod 10 the choir In the Fort Greene
WAS objectionable. because the membersof the church
ana Inc riga asked 1sp 10 stay sns gu ina,
rumors about her Mrs staunton wan.od her to leave
DIR. Talmage asked the witness II she 10
daily communion with God She replied: 81 try
opO feel that have the comforting and sustain
ao S ae So a1s s s ASSy Win what a 4S DE- 1""As0
After her testimony she was carried 10 coach and
conveyed to the house of friend. Dr. Lewis Meeker.
her attending ply ciaD was present and testified that
was decidedly dangerous for Mrs. Ladder TO appear az
Stephen g. Ladder the husband OF the previous wit
ness ties ided:
legally separated from wife and lived apart
staunton the OF the separations wholly
She always patient kind and % tie
door evening" sat m Mf aanton
Win my wife was under the Influence liquor at the tine
was always a welcome visitor never had the lock
NV with my friendly advised her
regular attendant chSreh Went
belief in them never saw anything unminsteTa IN MI
stauntOns conduct never suspected improper rela
On crossexamnation Mr.. Ladder said that he sepa:
him. After two mouths they were reconciled.
+. W. Atworth testified that his sisier-in law Mrs
Ladder was modest woman, a thoroughly devoted
and would bear deal The witness thought Mr.
stsunton conducted himself in manner becoming to
minister and al ways behaved himself properly.
Charles NJ. Harmon. music teacher and orgsnist in
ihins unisdyiiEo, in Mrs. Ladders conduct in
tho choir and no improper conduct on
George Trevor once told him that no believed his sister
Mrs ssunon had started all the stories about her hus
the church he invited Mrs Ladder to return to the choir
after she had resigned Mira Ladder lady IN every
Of the word modest aud retiring In disposition and
unass9ming in manner ,...,.o..- o~,,uo.
.on. D SSS G the v navs to In
public will be told to the Presbysery in secret