Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-14
The PRIEST ACCUSED
Judge smythe Openly Accuses
Father Kelly Of seducing
His Daughter.
The Accused Priest Has Not Yet
Returned to Elk
Point.
Josie smythe's Whereabouts
Josie smythe's Whereabouts
Also Observation-Disclosures
Againt Kelly.

daughter Josephine's sojourn of tive
weeks in the temporary home at Lam
caster Cal, of Father b. j. Kelley
Catholic priest at Elk Point, has
aroused that town to intense excite
ment, broke his silence Wednesday fol
the first time, and accused Father KEEL
ley of seducing his daughter.
1t is expected Father Kelley will re-
turn to Elk Point Sunday to resume
his passionate, backed by the exonera-
ton given him by Bishop OGorman,
of Sioux Falls Feeling is running high
against him, and it is hard to say
what sort Of reception he will be
given.
For months Mrs. Smythe has be-
lieved Father Kelley was eXerting a
wrong influence over the girl. but
Judge Smythe refused to believe the
reports, in the absence of direct evil
dence. He did, however, report them
to Bishop OGorman, but without get
ting any satisfaction Now, since there
is unmistakable evidence his daughter
spent two weeks with Father Kelley at
Lancaster, Judge Smythe is convinced
she has been ruined by the priest and
openly makes the accusation.
He does not know where his daugh-
ter is. She has passed the age of con-
sent, being 81 years old, and the priest
is unmarried. All the parents ask is
that their girl come back home and be
forgiven and that the priest leave the
community.
One alone in the family believes in
the priests innocence and that is the
invalid daughter. whose faith in the
priests rectitude is mistaken.
Judge Smythe gave out the COM
plete statement of all the occurrences
that led him to believe his daughter
had been ruined by the priest. He did
this, he said, because he saw no other
resource at hand, and Bishop O'Gor
man had eXonerated the priest.
The first intimation of any undue in
between the priest and their
daughter came to Mr.. and Mrs.
Smythe last fall in the shape of six
letters at various intervals,
the last coming October 1. All of them
warned the parents that the relations
between the two We're were compro-
missing and would lead to trouble. The
last of these was handed the parents
the afternoon of October / by small
boy and read:
If you want to find your daughter,
she is now at Father Kelley's house.
Beware of the result"
Mrs. Smythe needed the warning and
went to Father Kelley's home and
found her daughter.
Sunday, October 13, after the fam
lily had returned from church. Miss
Josie did not appear for an hour and
a half. Finally Lizzie Johnson, house
keeper for Father Kelley, who is be-
lieved to be the author of the anony-
nous communications, came running
to the -Smythe residence in great eX-
element. She declared she had seen
the girl and priest in a compromising
position. Mr.. Smythe went with the
to the home of the priest
Miss Josie was there with the priest
and apparently there was nothing sus-
picious. There in the presence of all,
The housekeeper said she would swear
before God that the two had had Illicit
relations, and Furthermore that twelve
years before the priest has seduced
her also.
The priest calmly declared she was
crazy, and that they stood ready to
make statement of their innocence,
appealing to the father to take the
word of priest of God and their own
pure daughter rather than the accusa-
ion of an insane woman.
The next day Mr.. and Mrs. Smythe
received an eloquent letter from Father
Kelly, which he gave out for publica-
ton. He said he would retain his
six months to demonstrate
he falsity of her accusations, and
would then dismiss her.
when all is over and we are vim
licated," he said, II shall then apply
FOR removal without assigning
,ause."
Mr.. Smythe replied with a dignified
etter in which he said, II never could
nave imagined that any creature
would so disgrace herself as to accuse
herself also of the same crime for the
of giving weight to her as
;ertions, and by calling God to witness
hereof, and by invoking the maledic-
ion of God on herself if such We're
lot the truth. But" he said, don't
imagine for a minute that he crime al
eyed by your housekeeper against
,ou was believed to be true"
Judge Smythe ordered his daughter
lot to meet or communicate with the
priest. But during jubilee week early
n the year the priest had frequent
opportunity to meet Miss Snythe. He
became a visitor at the Smythe home,
'stensibly to to call upon the invalid
laughter, but Mr.. Smythe believes now
t was to be near Miss Josie.
Soon after, Father Kelly went to
for his health. but Judge
smythe says he told him it WAS to
void the scandal that had been stirred |
Up.
February s Miss Josephine came to
sioux City for visit and then dis
ppearcd. She had no more than 50
o make the trip, and no means of |
citing any more money. She GER
ainly did not have enough money to |
20 to California.
Judge Smythe suspected his daugh-
er had gone to California where |
postmaster at Lancaster, Cal, asking
Father Kelly was there, If he had a
and If SO, to send de-
cription. The postmaster sent back a |
God description of Miss Smythe. say
ng the priest was said to be there fop
lnp trouble and his hOuSekeep yyoc |