The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-30
And the Plaintiff Is n Former Menu
ber, Who Took 0nense at Her
Leaders Communion Message.
MRS. wOoDBURY'S COMPLAINT
SAYS SHE WAS CALLED A SCARLET
WOMAN" BY THE DEFENDANT.
Quotations from the Book of ReveIa-
tions Alleged TO Have Been Used
to Willy the PIaintfn.

BOSTON Mass, May 29-The jury trial
of the suit OF Mrs. Josephine a Woodbury..
OF this city, claiming $4,000 damages from
Mrs. Mary Baker c. Eddy. OF Concord.
y. H.. founder of the Christian Scientist
sect, for libel. was begun in the Suffolk
County Superior Court here to-day and.
according 10 the statement OF the different
counsel, it may last three weeks.
Mrs. Woodbury. is TO be represented by
two astute lawyers Frederick w. Peabody
and G. w. Noble, while Mrs. Eddy's de-
fense is in the hands OF Samuel ]. Elder
and Charles w. Bartlett who secured the
acquittal Of Prof. Charles II. Eastman OF
Harvard. assisted by William A. Morse and
Gen. Frank S. Streeter.
The suit is based on Mrs. Eddys annual
communion message of June l. 1889. read
in the First Church OF Christ, Scientist. in
this city. in which she quoted reference
TO The doom OF the Babylonish woman
from Revelation xvii. as being fulfilled. The
declaration also states that in another
message Mrs. Eddy quoted from Revela-
ton some thing about "a in
let," which plaintiff contends was directed
toward her. the injury of her honor and
gooo standing in the community.
The plaintiff has summoned eighty wit
nesses. most of them former disciples of
the faith. and many sensations are prom
ised during the trial. Christian Science as
q religion is TO be probed TO it, very founGa-
tions. and Mrs. Eddy's deposition, which
was taken at her home In Concord. ~. H..
is reported to be a remarkable document.
MRS. EDDy's MESSAGE
After Mrs. Woodbury. left the Christian
Science Church. il is asserted. references
before the congregation in the mother
church had special reference TO Mrs Wood
bury and it is these statements upon which
the libel is largely based. According to
the declaration filed by Mrs. Woodbury..
Mrs. Eddy held that in her own personal
l.fe she is the fulflment or realization OF
the biblical prophecy or vision contained IN
the twelfth chapter OF Revelation. in which
this prophecy appears:
heaven; a woman clothed with the sum- and
the moon under her feet, and upon her
head crown of twelve stars, and she, be-
ing with child, cried. Travelling in birth
and panied 10 be delivered. And there
appeared another wonder IN heaven: and.
behold, a great red dragon having seven
heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon
his head. And his tail drew the third part
OF the stars of heaven and did pass into the
earth. and the dragon stood before the
woman which was ready TO be delivered
| for to devour her child soon as IL was
born And she brought forth a man child.
who was TO rule all nations with rod or
iron, and her child was caught up unto
| God and to His throne
Mrs. Woodbury's husband died on May 10.
| 1899 and on June 4, 1899 at service held i'm
the First Church of Christ. Scientists. In
this city, when the annual communion serk-
ice was held. message from Mrs Eddy
was read in which was a quotation from
the seventeenth chapter OF Revelation.
which, il is asserted In the declaration.
referred to Mrs. Woodbury.. The quotation
read:
And / saw woman sit upon a scarlet
colored beast full of names OF blasphemy.
having seven heads and ten horns And the
woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet
color and decked with gold and precious
stones and pearls. having a golden cup IN
her hand full OF abomnation and hlthiness
OF her fornications, and upon her head was
a name written. Mystery, Babylon the
Great the Mother OF Harlots and Abomina-
tions Of the Earth And / saw the woman
drunken with the blood or the martyrs or
Jesus"
that his client was the woman referred TO
in this passage and others OF a similar
character Many OF the witnesses who have
been summoned were a few years ago lead
ers in the Christian Science Church. but
have now changed their views 10 a more
or less extent IL is said that Frederick
w Peabody, counsel for Mrs. Woodbury..
| spent nearly two years accommodating evil
dence.
In her answer to the charge Mrs. Eddy
admits that the particular address COM
planned OF by Mrs. Woodbury. was delivered
the days and at the time named In the
declaration OF the plaintn, but declares
that neither Mrs. Woodbury. nor any other
human being was meant by the terra
''Babylonish woman" the phrase being
Woodbury. was present in court to-day. but
Mrs. Eddy would not appear. her deposi-
tion having been taken for Introduction in
the case as evidence
COURTROOM CROWDED.
The courtroom was crowded with spec
tators when the case was called, Will,
several hundred men and women clamored
in vain for admission. Before the selection
Of jury Mr.. Peabody. counsel for Mrs.
Woodbury.. offered an affidavit bearing N
the case. which he claimed was made neces-
sary through the absence OF Judge s. e
Hanna, a prominent member Of the mother
church. who. IL is said. caused the message
Of Mrs Eddy 10 be published IN the local
papers The court took the affidavit. with
the understanding that IL should be ad-
mitted later in the case should the evidences
warrant it. The jury was then impaneied
and the plaintins declaration read.
Mr.. Peabody said that a large number
OF the witnesses in the court FOR the de-
Tense believed in Mrs. Eddy as "A marvellous
woman. second only 10 Christ. and that
they were prompted 40 stand by her
through religious motives He asked that
they be excluded from the courtroom.
Judge Bell refused 90 grant Mr.. Peabody's
request.
William f. Cross. one OF the editors Of
the Christian Science Journal. described tho
positions held by Judge Hanna and Mrs.
Eddy I'm the society. He testified that he
did not know where Judge Hanna was at
the present time. Witness was dismissed.
but stopped by Mr.. Peabody asking
him III he had not refused recently to state
where Mr. Hanna was. Witness replied
that he had. lie stated that he. had been
called up on the telephone in a blunt ana
surly manner and no reason for the re-
= r..s