The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-05-31
WARNING CHRISTIAN sc1EN-
lists.
MONEY the ONLY REMEDY
Mrs. woodbury's Famous Suit
Against Mrs. Eddy Finally
on Trial. y

Boston, May 29.-The jury trail OF
the suit of Mrs. Josephine A. Wood
bury of this city, claiming $15O,O0O
damages from Mrs. Mary Baker G..
Eddy of Concord, N. H., founder OF
the Christian Science sect, for libel,
was begun in the Suffolk county SUI
perior court here today, and accord
ing to the statements Of the different
counsel it is likely to consume a great
er portion of three weeks.
The suit vas brought by Mrs. Wood
bury on the ground that two years
ago Mrs. Eddy, in a message to the
First Christian science church here,
which was read four times and after
ward published in a local paper, had
Mrs. Woodbury. in mind when she
used the words: "The doom of Baby
lonish mn referred to in the Book
Of Revelations is being fulfilled"
Previous to this Mrs. Woodbury. had
been communicated by the church.
She Meant Only Sin.
In her answer, Mrs. Eddy admits
that that particular address was de-
livered on the days and at the times
mentioned in the declaration of the
plaintiff, but declares that neither
Mrs. Woodbury. nor any other human
being was meant by the term Baby
lonish woman" the phrase being used
simply to describe a type of sin.
Mrs. Woodbury. was present in court
today, but Mrs. Eddy would not ap-
pear, her deposition having been TAX
en- for introduction in the case as
evidence. Before the selection Of a
jury, Mr.. Peabody, counsel for Mrs.
Woodbury., offered an affidavit bearing
upon the case, which he claimed was
made necessary throuhg the absence
of Judge S. E. Hanna, a prominent
member of the mother church, who,
he said, caused the message of Mrs.
Eddy to be published in the local
papers. The court took the affidavit
with the understanding that it should
be admitted later in the case should
the evidence warrant it.
The jury was then empannelled and
plaintiffs declaration read.
a semi-Diety.
Mr.. Peabody said that a large num-
Der Ct witnesses in court for he de-
tense believed Mrs. Eddy as a mar
velous woman, second only to Christ,
and that they were prompted to stand
by her through religious motives. He
asked that they be excluded from the
court room. Judge Bell refused to
grant Mr.. Peabody's request.
William F. Cress, one of the edi-
tors of the Christian Science journal,
described the positions held by Judge
Hanna and Mrs. Eddy in the society
He testified hat he did not know
where Judge Hanna was at the pres
ent time.
The witness was dismissed, but was
stopped by Mr.. Peabody asking hin
if he had not refused recently to state
WllSIS MI. IldLud Was. Lie WlIHSSi
replied that he had, He stated tina
he had been called upon by telephon'
in a blunt and surly manner and n,
reason for the request made was civ
en-. He did not feel called upon t.
answer question of persons who sal
that truth was not to be obtained a
q Chrictior Soionco Offioo
VIM. B. Johnson testified hat h
was an intimate acquaintance of Mrs
Eddy and director of the mothe
church.
Defense Scores.
The first victory on either side cam
to the defense when Mr.. Peabod
sought by this witness to show thu
Mrs. Woodbury. was the woman r.
ferred to by Mrs. Eddy in the allege
libelous statement on the ground thu
Mrs. Woodbury. had sought and we
church in 1895, but was afterwal
admitted and later excommunicate
Mr.. Elder objected to the admissic
of this testimony. Mr.. Peabody sta
ed that Mrs. Eddy made the allege
libelous declarations with a fl
knowledge Of the fact that they wou
be construed as meaning Mrs. Woo
bury. I'VE propose, said Mr.. Pc
body. ito bring before the jury
the incidents in the lives of MI
Woodbury. and Mrs. Eddy, showil
their relation, and this is one of Il
most striking" The court ruled tn
the time was too remote and exclu
ed the testimony, MI. Peabody takil
an exception.
Mr.. Peabody then sought to intr