Evening star., 1886-09-29
Brooklyn's Clerical Scandal.

A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER CHARGED WITH
HAVING TOO MANY WOMEN IN HIS FAMILY.
The trial OF the Rev. BENJAMIN Staunton, pas
tor OF the Fort Greene Presby terian church,
upon charges Of conduct unbecoming minis
ter, in that he treated his wife with extreme
cruelty and kept another woman in his house
in opposition to her wishes, has been begun by
the Brooklyn presbytery. DIR. Talmage, who
was himself tried by the same body upon
charges OF deceit and falseh0od seven years ago,
comparatively young man, does not appear
greatly concerned about the outcome Of the
illness.
The Rev. Mr.. Foote made the opening address
for the prosecution. In 1t he described the
shocking ill-treatment alleged to have been in-
hicted by Mr.. Staunton upon his wife as found
by the committee of the presbytery which in
yestigated the matter. He had kept Mrs. Mary
lister, who Is divorced from her husband and
goes by her maiden name, at his house contrary
to to his wiie's wishes and had neglected his wife
in order to pay attentions to Mrs. Ladder They
sang together and she frequently visited him
when Mrs. Stauntoh was away from home. On
one occasion Mr.. Staunton had lost an Albany
boat that he purposed taking on his way to
Saratoga because he wanted to remain with
Mrs. Ladder.
John II. Trevor, brother of Mrs. staunton,
testified that he lived with Mr.. and Mrs. Staun-
ton short time IN 1884. Mrs. Mary Ladder
the house TO live in August before Mrs Staun-
ton had got home from summer trip to Sara
tOga springs. Mrs. Ladder kept the house
while Mrs. StauntOn was away. Mr. StauntOn
praised her highly and said she was a fine
woman with all angel voice, a woman OF lew
words but great actions. One day Mr. Staun-
ton went up to the bedchamber on the second
floor while the witness was in the parlor be-
meath. Mr. StauntOn called to Mrs. Ladder,
who was In the basement, ''COme up here and
help me move the books" She went up and
they shut themselves in hall bedroom. After
about fifteen minutes MIR. StauntOn went down
TO the parlor singing, and soon Mrs. Ladder
followed him. When Mrs. StauntOn reached
home she asked her brother what he thought
of the plan OF having Mrs. Ladder remain at
the house, and he told her he would object 10
1t, and She said IL would be of little use tor her
70 raise any objection, for her husband would
she would have to ask Mrs. Ladder to remain.
Mrs. Ladder and Mr.. StauntOn sat up late at
night after Mrs. StauntOn had gone to bed.
Afterwards Mrs. StauntOn told her brother
his old tricks. She was telling Mrs. Ladder to
leave the house one day when Mr. StauntOn
began to abuse his wife. He used harsh lam
guage to her tor halt an hour.
tons, testified that Mr.. and Mrs. Staunton were
devoted To each other before Mrs. Ladder lived
with them.
AT Yesterdays session OF the presbytery John
ID: Trevor, brother of Mrs Staunton, testified to
alleged lls-treatment OF Mrs. Staunton by her
husband and about sending for the district
attorney with O view to prosecuting Staunton.
He testified that he said to his sister: "Appeai
10 the elders Oh the church and write to Mrs.
Ladder, appealing in behalf of a mother and
asking her to leave the choir and church. From
one Of the sessions she received an insulting
reply, accusing her OF being the guilty party,
before she had been accused"
Mrs. Maria Pratt, Rev. DIR. Wells and two
other brothers testified to Mrs. StauntOn's sto-
ries about iil-treatment and about seeing marks
OF violence on her throat.