Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-07
DIR. PARKHURST'S SPITE.
THE GOTHAM DIvINE's CHARACTEB
BESMIRCHED.
His Crusade A against Crime Prompted by
Sinister MOtives-The Eminent
Preacher Placed in an
Unenviable Light.

New YORK, Dec. 6.-According to Su-
perintendent of Police Byrnes, Rev. DR..
Parkhurst's deep-seated interest in ex-
posing vice originated in an effort he
made some months ago to aid the
daughter OF one of his wealthy parish
ioners in securing eliminating evidence
against her husband, that she might get
o divorce. The superintendent said the
testimony OF the plaintiff comprehended
proof that her husband maintained a
woman in an evil resort, and member
OF the police force won the ill.will of
DR.. Parkhurst by refusing to swear to
certain facts to suit the case. The
mother of the plaintiff was equally bit
ter against the stubborn police official,
and failing to get revenge, she
and DR.. Parkhurst began ee-
ries of prosecutions against the
house in which the defendant in the
divorce case was said to have lost his
marital honor, and in this revengeful
recreation DR.. Parkhurst and hie par
ishoner acquired taste for persecution,
the police department and city officials,
The mother of the plaintiff in the d.
vorce suit, Byrnes said, had a woman
friend in whom she thought she could
trust, and this woman called on her in
reply to note which is in the posses.
sion of Byrnes. What occurred at that
interview was written out by the woman
who was summoned. She was sent by
n q y 10 fn Tlr Do r,y
as soon as che was able she recorded
what was said there. The woman ap-
peafed to DR.. Pa-khurst and the mother
OF the divorced girl to be willing to do
their bidding, but a few hours after she
lett them she eased her conscience by
going to Superintendent Byrnes and has
been his ally ever since.
Altogether there are 20 letters at police
headquarters to prove that Parkhurst
and his parishioner believed she was
turthering their ends. What these
ends were is vaguely sketched by Byrnes.
Il have this correspondence in my pos
session." he said, ''and they show that
Parkhurst and certain mem
bers of his congregation resort
ed to everything dishonorable
to get evidence OF any and every kind to
compromiee the chief magistrate of this
city, judges of courts, magistrates, the
district attorney myself and high Of
ticials, eleven persons in all. There are
20 letters emanatipg from DIR. Park
hurst's Pensioners, and each was fol-
lowed by an interview, or interviews, all
OF which were faithfully recorded, and
the interviews are so for a context of
the letters that l do not suppose
they will be contradicted. The letters
will show the instructions DR.. Parkhurst
lett when he went to Europe, and every
thing in the way of planning to spy aud
debauch the persons to whom l have
alluded, up to two or three days ago.
At some later day will talk further on
the subject, which is so interesting
have an idea of giving it out in sec
tions."
The substance of Byrnes's report was
tcld to Rev. DR.. Parkhurst. at bis home,
1873 East Thirty-fifth street, tonight. He
SMILED at first. and then, as he discussed
it. he grew indignant, and used come
forcible English with reference to the
and police department.
DR.. Parkhurst said he knew of the
divorce case of which the superintend-
ent spoke, and intimated that some of
the information secured as evidence IN
that suit had been used in the work
which the society OF which he is presi-
dent has been carrying on. He said he
would not give the names of the parties
to the divorce, but added: "It is an
interesting case"
DIR. Parkhurst did not know who it
was who had given the letters of which
Superintendent Byrnes had spoken to
the police. He was indignant that he
should be charged with insincerity in
the crusade he has been CARRYING on.
Charles W. Gardner, chief OF Rev. DR..
Parkhurst's staff of detectives, ard who
accompanied the doctor on his visit to
the evil resorts OF New York, was today
held to the court OF general sessions in
the sum of $500 for extorting money
from fallen women. Not being able to
secure bondsmen, he was remanded TO
prison.