The times., 1897-03-21
HER CHARACTER DETAINED
Such Is the Claim of Miss Myra
Il. MacOmber.
SUES MRS. SARA A. SPENCER
The Girl Was a Student in the Busi-
ness College of Mrs. Spencer
and Was Asked to Withdraw, No
Cause Being Given for the Re-
quest.

The suit which was yesterday filed by
Miss Myra E. Macomber against Mrs.
Sara A. Spencer for alleged defamation
of character, promises some exceedingly
interesting developments when it comes
up for trial.
Mrs. Spencer, as is well known, conducts
the Spencerian Business College, at the
corner OF Seventh and d streets north
west, and she is known as one of the most
successful female educators IN the courr-
try, having been engaged In teaching for
forty years.
Mrs. Spencer was seen by Times re-
porter at her apartments over the college
last evening, and in answering ques-
tions regarding the suit she was naturally
inclined to be reticent. 'Of course, l
regret the publicity which must naturally
attend the suit Just brought against me
by Miss Macomber, she said, but
atl not at all concerned as to the ultimate
result. / have had more than forty
years experience in dealing with pupils
and it is hardly likely that | should do
anything so foolish as to slander young
girl placed under my charge by her father.
| have never breathed q word against
Miss Macomber's character, and when
! felt called upon to request her with
drawal from the school, | did 1T in pri-
vacy and at the same time wrote to her
father in East Monmouth Ne, Of my
action.
IAN aunt of Miss Macomber's, named
Mrs Georgia McGuiggan, called In COM
pany with the young lady, on the day
after her withdrawal from the school, and
endeavored to have me reinstate her. This
/ firmly refused to do; whereupon both
the aunt and Miss Macomber raised such a
din in my office that all the pupils ON that
floor of the building learned for the first
time that the young lady had been asked 10
leave the school. / flatly refused to give
Mrs McGuiggan any reasons for my re-
questing her niece TO Withdraw, as l had
written to her father, who had paid her
tuition while she was in the college.
The right OF school or college to
suspend or even expel pupil, who, in their
Judgment, ought not to remain in the in
stitution, is, / think. unquestionahle.
.'or course 1 shall say absolutely moth
ing Of the reasons which caused me to re-
quest Miss Macomber' withdraw wal from the
school, until | am compelled 10 do so i'll
a court of law
1t was learned that Mrs. McGuiggan,
the aunt Of Miss Macomber, has recently
separated from her husband, Thomas Nc
Guggan, and it also is rumored that
divorce suit is impending.
Miss Macomber lived with the McGuiggan
couple until the household was broken up.
which was only recently. Last week Mrs
McGuiggan took a room in the stewartb build
ing, at the corner OF Sixth and d streets
northwest, and Miss MaComber went with
her. This building is almost exclusively oc-
cupied by lawyers, one OF whom is A. b.
Webb, who is associated with Attorney
Charles W. Fits in Miss Macomber's suit.
Neither Miss Macomber nor Mrs. Nc
Guiggan could be seen last evening, as
they were either not in their apart tments or
had retired.
Mr. Thomas McGuiggan refused to say
anything whatever concerning the case
beyond the fact that the young lady for
merIy lived at his house.
Miss Myra Macomber is an unusually
handsome girl and is about nineteen yea rs
of age. She dresses most stylishly and
would attract attention anywhere. She
comes of an excellent family in Maine, and
it is understood that her father is man
of means.
Mrs. Macomber. the young lady's mother,
will arrive in Washington within the next
few days.