The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-29
yESTRYMEN SAY
He IS INNOCENT
Believe Pastors Relations With
Church Member Proper.
SPICY SUIT FOR SEPARATION
ktAdivIts Rsfsnsd 70 Uaainsd Clergyman
whs 0ftsa Called On Wife Of Wealth.
QulM Of Yacht Americas.
SPICY SUIT FOR SEPARATION

New York. Aug. 2s.-The Rev. DR.
George r. Van de Water. OF st. Andrews
Episcopal church. In Harlem, returned
from his 10 weeks vacation in Europe OF
the italian liner Liguria yesterday. HIS
son met hlm at the boat and both went al
once to the clergyman's residence, No.
West One Hundred and Twenty-second
street.
During DR.. Van de Waters absence AT.
chibaid Watt. the wealthy owner of tho
yacht American. filed an answer to mis-
wife's suit for separation in which q
clergyman, unnamed. was accused OF call.
ing on Mrs. Watt at unusual hours and
OF meeting her on and OF the yacht and
drinking with her many high balls and
other liquids. The affidavit OF Matte IL.
smaliwood, the colored stewardess OF the
yacht had much to say about this clergy
man.
DIR. Van DE Water married Mr.. and
Mrs. Watt and Mrs. Watt is a member
OF st. Andrews. and after the publica-
tion OF the papers In the suit six members
OF the vestry OF st. Andrews met and
issued card 20 the public
The statement to the public was dated
July 81 and signed by 4. j. Swords. viii
liam II. Sage. John Bottomly. Malcolm q.
Foster. @. r. Bonney and w. +. Rey-
nolds II said;
BELIEVED RELATIONS PROPER.
"As certain statements have appeared
In the newspapers seeking to identify the
Rev. DR.. Van de Water, rector of st.
ADdrew's church. with the clergyman
(whose name IL not mentioned) referred
TO I'm an affidavit made by colored wo-
man and used on the motion for separa-
tion from her husband. we. a majority OF
the vestry OF said church Qt being an
impossibIiity to reach the other members).
deem II our duty 10 say that from our
knowledge Of the relations OF the rector
with Mrs. Watt we believe such relations
TO have been simply thpse that would ma
turally exist between any rector ana one
who was n member OF an active commit
tee OF the guild OF the church
III the statements In said afidavit refer
TO Dr. Van de Water, we most empha-
tically do not believe that they are true
wherein they charge or insinuate aay
wrong on his part.
Its public use when the clergyman n
(whoever he is) was stated to be IN Eu-
iOpt, hha tHtItiott lIFdDdDic Oh OeItnu-
Ing himself. carries its own condemua-
ton. We see no occasion for requesting
Dr. Van de Water TO return from his va
cation
The affidavit of the yachts stewardess
said In part:
About three years ago noticed that
a certain clergyman. whose name know
and which is stated In a separate aff-
davit. was In the habit OF coming 10 the
yacht American frequently. sometimes
when the Commodore was present and
sometimes when he was not. After
while he only came when the commodore
was not there. and afterward I noticed
that he came TO luncheon when the com
modore was not at home Frequently ne
came when the commodore had gone to
bed.
WAS A FREQUENT CALLER.
For the past year he has not been on
the yacht that / remember, but the year
before he called very freQuently-several
times week--sometimes every other
night. and every noon to luncheon.
have gone with Mrs. Watt repeatedly and
met the clergyman at various places of
the yacht"
The affidavit told about n church picnic
to Empire Grove on the Hudson. from
which she and her mistress and the
clergyman returned by way OF verplank
village and q junk cart 10 Harlem.
''As we were walking down to the
yacht" continued, the stewardess In her
affidavit. Mrs. Watt said TO me: If
there are any questions asked you. just
say We came down on the Grand Republic
with the rest Of the picnic. and that gets
In about o'clock, and IL would take us
just about that time to get from there
to the yacht"
In an answering affidavit Mrs. Watt
denied all the assertions made by her
husbands witnesses, and said
II am q member of the Protestant
Episcopal church and much interested In
Its works and have done much for cit.
These insinuations are simply made by
the defendant for the purpose OF incul-
eating fear In me In the hope that
would. rather than have the clergymans
name dragged into q ma trimonial litiga-
tion refrain from further prosecuting my
action. but inasmuch as my conduct with
the said clergyman. who Is married and
living and residing happily with his wife.
TO whom he Is devoted. Is above reproach.
] again brand as outrageous and baseless
calumnies the insinua tions made In the
aff,davits OF the said Matte smaliwood." {"
II can't discuss that matter" said DR.
Van do Water to reporter who saw him
on the pier before he went 10 his homo
and asked him II he cared TO make any
statement supplemental to the card is-
sued by his vestry during his absence.
II didn't know anything about Il until
! received n letter from my son, and that
reached me at quarantine only a short
time ago.
II don.t care to discuss the matter. I
read no papers while was abroad which
gave me TO understand that was I'm
any way mixed UP In the matter"
--
LAST SUNDAY OUTING TO mxRTnAs