The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-30
MRS. BAKER EDDY SUED
1GRs. wooDBuRx WANTS s1s,-
 900 FOR LIBEL.
Claims That the Head of the Chris tian Scientists Referred to Her as the "Babylonish
 Woman"

 trial of the case brought by Josephine A. woodbury of this city. claiming sl6, 900 damages from Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy of Concord, N. H., founder or the Christian Scientists, for libel was begun in the Suffolk County Superior Court here today and according to the statement of the different counsel 1t may last three weeks. The suit was brought by Mrs. Woodbury on the ground that two years ago Mrs. Eddy In a message to the First Christian Science Church here which was read tour times and asrerward published in ! local paper referred to Mrs. Wood- bury when she used the words: $
 ''The dom of the babylonish woman referred to in the book of Revelations s being fulfilled" .-. -y ca been accommodated by the church. In her answer Mrs. Eddy admits that the particular address was delivered on lhe days and at the times named in the declaration of the plaintiff, out declares that neither Mrs. Woodbury Or any other human being was meant by the term "Babylonish woman," the phrase being simply to describe type of sin.
 Mrs. woodbury was present in court today, but Mrs. Eddy would not ap- pear, her deposition having been taken for introduction in the case as evi- dence. =,
 The court room was crowded with spectators when the case was called while several hundred men and women clamored in vain for admission. Be- fore the selection of jury MT. Pea- body, counsel for Mrs. Woodbury, of- fered an affidavit bearing on the case which he claimed was made necessary through 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 pub- lished in the local papers. The court took the affidavit with the understand ing that it should be admitted later in case evidence should warrant it.
 A jury was then empaneled and the plaintiffs declaration read.
 0dr. Peabody said that a large num- Der of the witnesses in the court for the defence believed in Mrs. Eddy as . marvellous woman, second only to Christ and that they were prompted 10 stand by her religious motives. He asked that they be excluded from the court room. Judge Bell refused to grant MT. Peabody's request.
 The first victory on either side came to the defence when the court re- fused to allow MT. Peabody to show by william B. Johnson that Mrs. wood bury was the woman referred to by Mrs. Eddy in the alleged libellous statement, on the ground that Mrs. Woodb,,zy had sought and was refused admission to the Mother Church in 1895, was afterwards admitted and lat- CT communicated.
 Attorney Peabody read a letter pur- porting to have been addressed to Mrs. woodbury by Mrs. Eddy in which Mrs. Eddy complained that she had been un1ustly treated by Mrs. Woodbury and quoted from alleged conversations with her wherein she (Mrs. WoodhRlry) virtually admitted that her conduct in the past had not been entirely blame- less.
 Mrs. Eddy clamed in this letter that she was not responsible for Mrs. Wood- bury's dismissal. The letter concluded with the following: How dare you. in the sight Of God and with your character behind the curtain. and your pursue the faith of heresy?"
 MT. Peabody claimed that a letter had been sent by Mrs. Woodbury's s students asking Mrs. Eddy to "Lifs the curtain" and offered in evidence several telegrams sent to Mrs. Eddy in reply to her letter.
 MT. Peabody made several ineffec- t.s!. attempts se draw from .he vii ness anything to show on what grounds Mrs Woodbury was accommodated. The court ruled out all of his questions as incompetent.
 MT. Johnson said that the words al- leged to have been used by Mrs. Eddy. Drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus" and "This woman, drunken with the wine of her fornication, would enter the church." could not be assum- ed to have any connection with the Book of Revelations, referring to the Babylonish woman.