Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-06-05
THE EDDY TRIAL.
Mrs. Woodbury., the l.laintim, on the
Witness stand

Boston, Mass. June 5.--Mrs. Jose-
phine Curtis Woodbury., the wealthy
plaintiff in the libel suit for si50.oGo
against Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy. was
the most important witness Tuesday,
the third day of the trial Mrs. Woods
bury. dressed in black, and with her
wavy. dark hair. streaked with gray,
brushed carefully back from her in
tellectual face was self possessed and
bore herself with the air of society
woman in a drawing room as She took
the stand. She evidently wanted to tell
all she knew about Mrs. Eddy, and sew
eral times had to be cautioned not to
answer questions tending to give her a
chance to tell things, until after the OBJ
jections of the opposing counsel had
been heard ard passed on by the Judge.
Mrs. Woodbury. began her testimony
by saying that she first met Mrs. Eddy
in the fall of 1879 at the home of Clara
Elizabeth Choate. Mrs Woodbury. be-
came interested thereafter in Mrs. Ed
dy's exposition OF Christian Science, and
in 1881 studied with Mrs Eddy. She
took the degree of &C. s. from Mrs.
Eddy's school, and, more than that. be-
came the confidential friend of Mrs. Ed
dy. Her husband also became Chris
tian Scientist
A letter from Mrs. Eddy dated Feb.
~, 1895. which was a reply to an appli-
cation for admission to the church. was
identified by Mrs Woodbury. In it Mrs
Eddy wrote that she did not pass on
applications, and then followed these
words:
Remember. dear student, that mali
clous hypnotism is no excuse for sin
Mr.. Peabody wanted to know what
was meant by "malicious hypnotism, =
and the witness managed TO get out,
ahead of the objections raised, that it
referred to a conversation, but the OPP
posing counsel headed hei. off before she
could tell when that conversation was
held or what it was about.
The witness Identified a letter re-
celved from Mrs Eddy on April s, 1895.
She wrote to Mrs Woodbury.:
TRY one year not to tell single
falsehood not to practice one cheat.
not to break the decalogue. DO that
and God will give you praise. Do that
and God will give you place in our
church at the end OF a year
Mrs. Woodbury. was then asked by
Mr.. Peabody, her chief counsel:
cheating or breaking the deealogue pre-
vious to the Eddy letter Of Apri, S,
1852
Il had not she replied.
Mr.. Peabody then read letter writ
ten by Mrs. Peabody to Mrs. Eddy on
April 16, 1895. She asked Mrs. Eddy for
an interview or for Permission to show
Mrs Eddy's letter of April to the
oh. fal
up this lie"
Mr.. Peabody read Mrs. Eddy's two
replies of April H. 1895. She was glad
to know of Mrs. woodbury's intention
TO prove her innocence. She wrote:
"Be of good courage If you have right
on your side. Right will and does
reign. You have my best Wishes
The second letter of the same date
stated a Willingness on the part of Mrs.
Eddy to have her letter shown to the
directors of the church. She wrote fur
ther:
Now, mark what I say. This is your
last chance warn you. stop falsify-
ing. living impurely in thought, in vile
schemes, in fraudulent money getting.
protection"
Mrs Woodbury. denied that she had
been falsifying or doing any of the
things suggested in this letter. She
testified that M A. NJ" in the Eddy
letter last read stood for Malicious
Animal Magnetism
Mr.. Peabody asked the witness IL
Mrs. Eddy accused her of possessing a
power Of mental action to cause sick
ness and death. but objection was
raised. Mr.. Peabody then explained
that malicious animal magnetism
was the highest crime known to Chris
tian Scientists.
Mr. Peabody then read portioh of