The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-01
LIKE
A VILE PLOT.
Affidavit is Made by DR.. P. M.
Sturgis
That Lena Crith, the MulattO
Girl, Was in
DELICATE CONDITION
Before She Was Employed in
DR.. Embree's Household.
w. I. JamisOn, the COlOred Law
yer, Acted as Intermediary
IN GETTING THE $500.
But Says He Now Believes DR..
Embree Innocent.
A COlOred Man Accused of the
Crime Against Lena Crith.
IN GETTING THE $500.
But Says He Now Believes DIR.
Embree Innocent.
A COIOred Man Accused of the
Crime Against Lena Crith.
A Scandal That Seems to Have
Originated in the Depths.

An important development is an af-
fdavit made today by DR.. p. NJ. Stur-
gis. This affidavit appears to efectual-
ly clear DR.. Embree from the charges
made by Lena Crith. 1t is in physl-
clans language and is scarcely suitable
for publication in daily newspaper.
He says that on October 1 she came
to him for medicine and complained OF
feeling sick. He said that at the time
his suspicious were aroused that she
was in a delicate condition and when
she returned a few days after and told
him more about her symptoms he was
convinced that his suspicious were well
founded and he refused to have any
thing more to do with the case
In her statement before r. B. WeIch
and w. 1. JamisOn, Lena Crith said
that DR.. Embree first had relations with
her on the night OF october Z, the DAY
after she had been to DR.. Sturgis, and
long after she became in a delicate con-
ditiOn. When she went to DR. SturglS
she had been employed in Dr. Empree'
household only four days, it thus being
a physical impossibility for the event to
have occurred that she told of.
1t follows from this statement by
physician who is responsible and whose
honesty has never been questioned, that
when Lena Crith went to work for DR..
Embree she was already in delicate
condition. and that somebody else was
responsible for it. 1t remains to be
found out who it was; but with the un-
fortunate girl dead this will be a diff
cult matter II IS Thought that WnOSNG1
the guilty man is, he inStigated Lena
Crith to accusing DR.. E,Tnbree of it, and
this accounts for the apparent plot.
The official board of the First Meth
odist church will meet Wednesday
evening to decide what action shall be
taken by the church on the charges
made against DR.. A. 5. Embree, the
pastor of the church.
The meeting was called at the request
of Dr. Embree himself who says that
he desires a complete investigation. 1t
is the plan to have meeting of the
! full board called at some future time
! when all who have anything to say in
support of the charges will be heard.
The whole city is stirred over the ac-
| cusatiOns made by Mrs. Crith and her
! daughter 1t is felt by many that if
/ colored servant girls story can do such
! injury, who is safe from such attacks
| by anyone who chooses to set such tales
| afloat. A number of women have ex-
| pressed themselves to the effect that
| hereafter they will require the most
| rigid references before employing any
hired help of any kind.
! Opinions seem to be nearly all one
| way among both white and black and
! that is that the charges are without
/ foundation.
| J. G. Jones, coIored messenger in the
| west wing of the state house is just now
| the center around which the investiga-
| lions are being conducted. Jones was
an intimate friend of the young woman,
| Lena Crith and often called upon her.
| The attorney for DR.. Embree claims that
| during the Fall Festival Lena Crith
! openly accused Jones with being re-
sponsible for her condition.
Jones refuses to say anything on the
| subject. Albert Alexander, who is a
! porter in Callihan & Browns barber
| shop says that he heard Mrs. Crith talk
| ing about the matter in the Barton
| restaurant next door and that she said
that Jones was responsible for her con-
dition. Alexander says that it was
| generally understood among the colored
| people that Jones was responsible.
| Alexander says that he does not re-
| member when the charges were made in
the Barton restaurant and is not able
to say whether or not it was before or
after the Fall Festival The restau-
rant was moved away early in Decem-
Der so that the conversation took place
some time before the letter was written
to DR.. Embree by Mrs. Crith.
In support of this version of the af-
fair is an affidavit made by DR.. p. NJ.
Sturgis that Lena Crith went to him for
medical advice during the latter part of
September or early in October. This
was before the time Lena Crith charged
DR.. Embree with having relations with
| her
DR.. Sturgis is very much in earnest.
He hunted up DR.. Embree as soon as he
| heard the report and told him what he
knew He is confident that the girl
| was in a delicate condition before she
was employed as a servant in DR.. En-
| bree's household.
The attorney to whom Mrs. Crith and
| her daughter went after leaving DR.
I E4nDree mousse was w 1. JanlSOn
| He says that they wanted him to bring
a civil suit against DR.. Embree but that
he first went to see him and the confer
ence resulted in the payment of the
$500.
When the woman came to me-" said
he, Il was satisfied that DR.. Embres
was guilty or never would have takeT
the step did. I did not know then
and had never seen them before but
they told a straight story and said thai
they wanted a civil suit for damages a
once
AT that time had never met DR.
Embree and did not know him by sight
I got his address from the women an6
called upon him and We arranged fol
the payment of the money to the girl
1 am not at liberty to tell what passed
? | during this conference.
What 1 did was in the role of an at
torney and was perfectly legitimate
If I had thought for moment that thu
claim of the woman was not a just ont
1 would have had nothing to do with it
But will say now that the appear
ances indicate that DR.. Embree is limo
cent. Things have developed since tina.
| knew nothing of at the time
Mr. JamiSOn had been employed a
attorney for DR.. I. A. Shields who i