The morning call., 1893-04-15
HIS WORD OR HERS
Rev. Mr.. Edwards Denies
an Accusation.
MADE BY ALICE ANN ALLEN
Charged With Using Funds Belong
ing to Her-He Says 1t Was
With Her Consent.

The Rev. Rodney 81. Edwards. who Is
accused by Mrs. Alice Ann Allen Of having
misapprODriated the greater part of $780,
entrusted by her to him, has a totally diff
ferent story to tell as his side of the case.
Mrs. Allen claims that Mr.. Edwards
has obtained this money fraudulently. IN
that she had been induced by him to sign
general power of attorney on the repre-
sentation that 1t was only a special power
for a short time, and that Mr.. Edwards
took all her money and used it as he
saw fit.
Mr.. Edwards was seen last night at the
Crocker Home Tor Old People, of which he
is the superintendent, and gave his side Of
the story
The matter has now resolved Itself into
simply question of veracity between Mrs.
Allen and myself" said Mr.. Edwards, land
i think am safe IN saying that not one of
the board of lady managers would accept
word uf what she says as the truth.
she is totally unreliable and yindictive
woman and though l may have acted fool
lshly in this matter l have done nothing 10
reproach myself with morally.
MIS- Allen was an inmate OF this home
when IL was located on Francisco street and
was turned out of 1t on account of her ac-
lions. When l was at Trinity Church she
came 10 me and asked for help and though
| knew that she had had TO leave the homo
dld help her financially. A short time
| after this she started the story that she had
been left $4,000 by brother in the East
and wanted TO go and get it.
she lett, ostensiOly for New York, but
| a lew days later came into my study and
! showed me $1,000, saying that it had been
| sent TO her at Sacramento and was the first
| lnstallment of her legacy.
Mrs. A lien then asked me If l would not
take care OF her money fur her. She said
| she was going East and did not know what
10 do with II. | told that on such short
notice l could not invest it all as it should
be invested, but that ! was interested in
Baden property and had great faith in it as
an investment and could get her good lot
Tor $500 on cash payment OF $500. She
seemed delighted with my plan and ac-
copied 1t. took the $500 and bought her
the lot. She gave me $500 10 put in the
bank for her, which l did, to her account,
and the balance she kept.
'She was very anxious that / should
manage all her money affairs for her, but /
told her would not do this without a full
power of attorney from her. She now says
that the power made out was supposed TO
be only special one TO cover the time she
was East, but this IS not So | was not
present when it was made out, but she
understood perfectly what she was doing
AT the same time she drew up her will, giving
me everything that she should possess at
the time of her death. This she said she
II saw at this time that some unprincipe ed
people were commencing to bleed her of her
money, and ! did not want 10 see this hap
pen. l made proposition TO her TO come
and live with my wife, my mother and my
self, paving me $1,000 for her board, room,
clothes and burial after her death, and also
to lend me Sl000 oil my note for five years
at per cent interest This was cheaper
than she could have gone to any of the
homes for, and none OF them would have
an IN mi hast
TO do.
''She acce pied this, and besides the $1,000
she was to pay me she insisted on giving me
$500 for my trouble with and kindness to
her.
This was where I made great mistake.
! made no contract with her for her living,
trusting to her to keep her part of the agree
ment.
'As soon as I received the money from
her l paid $1,000 into the Building and Loan
Association. of which l am member and
used the other $1,000 to put an addition on
to my house at Baden. Then, before the
house was completed, Mrs. Allen insisted
on going to Baden to live. l told her the
house was not in q condition to live in, but
she went anyway.
''She was not satisfied with the room pre-
pared for her, and returned 10 the city the
same day. was here at the time and the
next day received a note from her, say
ing she was sick at the Russ House. /
called to see her and paid her board, and
she went to her present home on Mason
street.
''Ibe next day Mrs. Allen asked me about
O'Clock in the afternoon to give her $50,
which l did. Then she told me l could
draw check in the morning and rein burse
myself. | did this, but when | presented
the check at the bank | was told that she
had gwen orders to cash no more checks
unless signed by herself.
when l asked her what this meant she
flew into rage and would give no explana-
ton.
''She refuses to come back to my home,
and the fix am In is apparent.
i had used her money, but with her full
knowledge and consent, and was not able
TO return 1t to her al once. / have offered
to turn over my Baden property to her,
although it is worth $1,000, but she will not
even listen to this proposition, and has
two weeks to sell my property there, so as
10 give her the money, but have been unsuc-
cessful as yet.
Mr.. Gibbs. one of the trustees Of the
home, has stated the reason / have been
requested to resign is because he has been
my surety and refuses TO be so any longer.
Neither Mr.. Gibbs nor any one else has
ever been my surety, and l have never been
asked to give bonds here. My resignation
Is asked simply because the managers think
the superintendent should be here every
night, and this l am unable to do"
One of the board of lady managers said
last evening; The board is generally I'm
sympathy with Mr.. Edwards in this affair.
and does not think that he has done any
wrong. The reason he has been asked to
resign Is that he could not be in the home
every night, and we thought that necessary
duty OF the uperintendent."