New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-20
FATHER CROWLEY'S DENIAL
HE SAYS THE YOUNG WOMEN WERE IN
TRUSTED TO HIS CARE.

IN MRS. KINGS SUIT SAY SHE WAS EX-
CITED AND Carried WHIP WHILE
IN THE PRIESTS HOUSE.
The suit Of Mrs Elizabeth King. of No. So Myrtle
ave. against a New-Yorl morning newspaper to re-
cover $4,000 damages for alleged libel was re-
summed Yesterday in Part " of the Supreme Court
before Justice Osborne. Mrs. King has a similar
suit pending against the Rev. James r. crowley
pastor OF ST. Mary's Roman Catholic Church' ior
$4,000 Both suits resulted from similar causes.
Mrs King lived in 1898 In Souhold. Long Island
and Father Crowley pastor OF ST. Patrick
Church, in Southold. and of the Church OF the
Sacred Heart. Cutchogue.
Father Crowley had housekeeper. MIS-. Louie
Siebold, and Mrs. King was her devoted frlend.
She visited Mrs Siebod almost every day. anu
Father Crowley objected. and. according to Mrs.
King made several statements about the latters
character which did not tend to improve her stand
ing in the community. She testified that she went
TO the church and asked him why he mad SPOKEN
against her character. Father Crowley denied that
he had done 50. and then she made several sti'e-
ments rejecting more seriously upon ra'"e' WV
leys moral character
She took several witnesses with her. ana III 'her
presence she charged him with not acting properly
toward two young girls, whose names she men
toned Father Crowley denied these statements
but admitted that he had been on friehdiy terms
with Anna and May Higgins. the young girls re-
when the housekeeper was away
On the stand yesterday Father Crowley stated
he had never spread the report that these girls were
his neces He stated that he was aware OF the con-
tents OF the Roman Catholic Church's book OF dis
ciplne He said there positively no rule IN the
hook prohibiting young unmarried women not oni-
ciallv connected with the household from remain
ing over night in parochial mouse lie oei"eu
that he had helped in preparation OF inc deiehce
in the action. In cross-examination he tod OF the
scene in the sacristy when Mrs. King ana her Wit
nesses talked with him. He said that Mrs Sleooid
was there and made big disturbance When Mrs.
King entered she said. Now have you. and I'll
make YOU prove what you said about me- lie re-
plied that that was not place for such con'ro-
versv but TO go into the house and he would talk
to her.
HE MERELY BEFRIENDED THE GIRLS.
There were then present Florry and Josephine
Maxwell Mrs Theall and Mrs. Diller. There was a
whip in the house which he first saw In Mrs klhg
hand He said that he objected to Mrs. King COM
ing so often TO the house but denied that ne had
given tongue thrashing TO any Of the villagers for
the interest they had shown in the controversy.
Mr. Eins,en questioned him about the Higgins
girls He said that their mother was dead and their
father was in Ireland Before the latter LETT ne had
asked the witness to look after the girls. lie had
done So His relations TO them had been above re-
proach. They are twenty-five ana twenty -'o"
years old respectively.
Thomas c. Fox testified that on the morning Oh
the interview in the sacristy he had heard Mrs
King say: "By George. I've got you now Father
Crowley wanted her 10 hush, but she wonld NOT
She said she had been quiet long enough lie went
out and Miss Florence Maxwell asked him TO go
in and see the affair out. but he dechncd. MITE
Frank DIler of Peconic. testified that on the day
IN ouestion she saw I.otie Sebold prancing around
on the piazza Of Father Crowey's house. Later on
after mass she heard a woman speaking In loud
tone In the sacrisy whore Mrs. King. Mrs Siepold
and Father Crowley were. -
moral conduct with the Higgins girls whhe Mr. Mr..
siebod was Standing ~ she %eS MAXWELL e TSev
all went to the priests house where. In the dnihg
Mrs King was marching np ana al n1 tSn t T
Witnesses husband entered and said M o Ta,n 6
SrG himself T0I Father CROWLEY then half led ana half
forced Mrs King outside the door she ralsed her
whip as II 10 strike him. but Dler prevented her.
WITNESSES CRIED "sHAME"
She then came in by another door. and cried.
"Iottie are you going to leave me after we've got
the affair started?" I.ottie did not answer. but
went away Then the Misses Maxwell. Mrs Theall
and Mr. Dller cried shame" They were so sur
nrsed that a woman Ike Mrs King should con-
duct herself So The witness testified that she had
never heard at that time that Father crowley had
made any charges against Mrs King. 1870
She said she simply was there az s,ght-seer as
all the other women were Shc was sure Inat
character in this talk she confessed that she ha1
nor a kindly feeling for Mrs King on account OF
the way she behaved that morning. Her idea was
that the whole trouble had come about because '"e
priest had discharged 1lotie sleDod -
Frank Diller the husband OF the last witness was
next ca,,el lie was sitting in the wagon IN iroht
Of the church until Miss Maxwell came ana toi,i
him there was trouble. and that he was wanted
Mrs King was making charges at the Vestry 90
nd he asked her why she did not settle the tIouVe
privately. Mrs King replied that she wanted the
whole world and all Long Isand' 10 know VIVA
sort of a man Father Crowley was. In the nous
Mrs King accused the pastor OF qnestloIlaO!e
actions and raised the whip to strike MIN W II.
ness caught the whip. and Mrs KING tod MIN 'ha'
If was her whip. and not to take II away
DID NOT THINK HIM IN DANGER
Witness tod her that was al right. but 10 get
ont Then Father Crowley put her out Cross-eN-
| am,ned the witness said that he ala not know
uha, he was wanted for when the women first ciiiei
| him II he had known what he vas about ne
| voud have stayed in the wagon and waited mere
for his wife Father Crowley stated when Mrs kins
| wade her charges that he had said nothing anout
W. Kings character. Witness did not want 10
eee Mrs King raise any trouble, ana so ne PR
vented her from striking Father crowley win .ne
u,bin Whether she really intended TO 40 50 or no.
| he did not know. But ne hlh not t"i"n r"''V'
| Crowley stood In any real danger