Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-25
A HERO OR HYPOCRITE.
The Domestic Troubles of Rev. Francis T..
Shober Aired In Court.

The Domestic Troubles of Rev. Francis l..
shober Aired In Court.
The troubles Of the Rev. Francis E. Shober
who for years was pastor of the Episcopal
Church of st. John, at Barrytown. \. Y, were
considered before Judge Barnard in Chamber,
at Poughkeepsie yesterday.
In April, 1851, Francis L. Shcber of Salisbury.
n. C., was theological student at ST. Stephen
College, Anncndale, Duchess county. Will.
there he met and married Helen Aspinwal, who
lived with her mother at Messona. the elegant
home of the Aspinwel's at Barrytown.
The young clergyman became the pastor of
st. Johns, a church built and maintained
largely by Mrs. Aspinwall Four children were
born to the young clergyman and his wife. and
they seemed happy until last winter, when Z
separation occurred and the story was given out
that the pastor had been suffering from deli
rum tremens. His deposition from the min
istry followed shortly afterward
Then came a story to the effect that the cause
OF the separation was Harry Carver a young
Philadelphian and student at st. Stephens Col
lege. engaged as a tutor for the Shober children
Mrs. Shober, with her children and her mother
Mrs. Aspinwall. left Barrytown and they are
nov living IN cottage on Long Island.
MIR. Shober secured position on the Pougll-
keepsle Nescs-Press, where he gains liveli-
hood following the vocation of a reporter.
The matter before Judge Barnard yesterday
was a habeas corpus proceeding brought by
Mr.. Shober 10 compel the family 10 give him
perfect freedom to see his children whenever he
pleases. Mrs. Shober was not in court. but ia
her pleading she alleged that Mr.. .Shober should
not be allowed 10 see the children because Of
his habits of intempersnce.
Mr.. Shober produced more than twenty Kit
nesses who were members of his parish and who
testified that they never suspected him of in
temperance. Among them were Miss hate
Breck. the sister of Mrs. Aspinwal, who lived
an the Shober home during most Of the couples
married life; Or. Edward Parker of pcugh-
keepsie and Dr. Charles H. Langdon of the
Hudson River State Hospital The PHYSICIANS
testified experts to the effect that the illness
froE, which the young clergyman suffered last
winter could easily have come from other
causes than from intemperance. Among
the interested spectators at the hearing was
Rev. Henry L. Ziegnefuss, the venerable arch
deacon of the locality.
MIR. Shober was on the stand an hour. The
substance OF his story that he tried TO ac-
cept the separation. which was inevitable, in
such 4 manner as to silence all scandal tina.
might through publicity touch his wife and
children, and, if necessary, take the whole
blame upon himself With this end in view he
said that he proposed TO Mrs. Shober that he
would go away and in q few days send her COM
piete evidence upon which she might procure
divorce on statutory grounds and after
which he would go back TO his home bearing
the stigma himself.
The hearing lasted nearly all l,ay. and WIS adj
journed until next Thursday for the purpose of
bringing Mrs. Shober and Mrs. Aspinwau into
court