The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-18
A WOMAN IS
The WRITER.
Rev. Or. GIsndsnin MOI Only
Ono TO Gel Warning Notes.
The POLL ACTIVELY AT WORK
TuIng 10 DIscsgr The Village Mischief
Maker Writing Is That Of an Educated
PersOn-hO Clue Yet
The POLICE ACTIVELY AT WORK

New York. April 1s.--The mystery sur
rounding the letter of warning sent TO
the REV Or. f. NJ. Clendenin. rector Of
81 Peters Episcopal church of Westches-
Ter village. and son-in-law of the late
Horace Greeley telling him TO beware Of
lddnappers. was Increased yesterday
when n was learned by the police that a
similar letter had both received by
wealthy woman of the community.
Apparently il is a case similar in some
respects to the recent sensational disclos-
ures az Rowayton. Conn where the
whole community was upset by letters
written anonymously.
While parents in Westchester were
greatly alarmed when the Rev DR.. Glen
denim received the letter. they are now
more interested in ascertaining the iden-
tity OF their neighbor who has mania for
writing sensational letters anonymous
ly.
The police are more energetic I'm run
ming down the author of the letters than
they are in guarding the homes OF the
families threatened They believe the
letters were written by some person OF
unbalanced mind.
The Rev DR. Clendenin himself and his
wife apparently have little fear that their
children viii be stolen. The clergyman
left his home yesterday and spent most
OF the day i'm New York city. His wife
went TO a church meeting at ST. Luke's
and the children Muriel and Gabrielle
were left I'm the care OF servants good
part OF the day.
EDUCATED PERSON WROTE LETTER
The warning letter received by the
Cjendenins is i'm the handwriting OF an
bears the stamp of the old-school gentle
woman's penmanship--neat and slightly
dwarfed I'm style but clear and precise.
Capital letters are used freely. distinct
mark OF the "old-fashoned woman's'
writing. 1t was az follows:
Rev. and Dear Sir: l want to caution
you about your dear children. Do not
leave them alone. or leave them 10 the
care of n servant, unless you leave your
coachman or some trustworthy person
about your place when you are not at
home. BE very careful. Your friend,
The letter was received by the clergy
man on April IL. 1t bears the postmark
(, station l., April II, AIS" and station
j. April II. $3.50 y. M
The name OF the woman of Westchester
Village who received a similar letter yes
terday is withheld for the present by the
police The handwriting is very like
that Of the letter received by the Rev.
DIR. Clendenn. IL is said that this woman
a wealthy, as are the Clendenins, and
that she is the mother of a beautiful
young girl She is much annoyed and.
II is said, has endeavored TO compare the
letter she received with that received by
tho Clendenins. with view TO getting
a clue to the person who sent IL TO her.
This is not the first time that the Rev.
DIR. Clendenin has been the victim of
anonymous letters. Not long ago when
an attempt was made TO burn his church
he received several letters threatening TO
burn his barn at Chappaqua, Westchester
county Soon after they were received
the barn was found burning. Detectives
tried for weeks TO run down the incenz
diary, but never succeeded
Dr. Clendenin was asked yesterday
II ne connected the letter suggesting kid
nappers with the letters he had previously
received threatening arson. He said:
CLERGYMAN HAS NO CLUE.
II cannot say that ! do. And yet they
have all been received at time when
there was controversy or agitation. /
have no theory TO suggest. | am per-
fectly helpless when IL comes TO Offering
clue know of nc person who could
feel so aggrieved as to torment us with
such a plot as Is suggested in this letter
unless IL be some OF those with whom
have recently been In a controversy"
Have you any enemies?" was asked
"It all depends on what you would call
enemies" replied the rector. II have had
cause on many occasions TO differ from
persons In matters which precipitated a
controversy. In some Instances these con-
troversies got into the newspapers and
became more or less personal | will not
attempt 10 say. however that such things
are behind this mysterious letter"
A singular incident in connection with
the case is that a Mrs Belmont a par
ishioncr. reported TO the rectors wife n
few days ago that she had dreamed on
three separate occasions that a carriage
had driven up TO the rectory and that
a strange man had taken Muriel and
Gabrielle. the rector children, away from
their home.
This dream was related 20 Mrs. Glen
denim by Mrs. Belmont few days ago."
said pr. Clendenin yesterday. Mrs Bel
mont was totally ignorant of the letter
we had received This coincidence the
dream and the letter--is certainly remark
able"
DR. cLENDENIN's CONTROVERSIES
DR.. Clendenin has indeed been In sew
eral controversies. 10 was he who op-
posed the ordination OF Or. Briggs in
the Episcopal church and brought about
one % the bitterest church feuds OF re-
cent years. Ia 1892 Dr. Clendenin was
indignant M report that ne had caused
Pauline Ccceia Cleveland a niece OF
Horace Greeley, 10 be incarcerated i'm am
insane asylum. AZ the time Mrs Glen
denim, who Is the youngest daughter OF
Horace Greeley. wrote an open letter de-
scribing how her cousin became insane
and generating her husband.
ON the eve or his marriage Or Glen
denim wns annoyed by a crank Alfred
u. Banks. Of Black Rock. announced that
he was going TO Chappaqua, and that he