The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-01-23
THE DELAND SCANDAL
VIII MOI Down IN Spite Of Powerful
influences.
1t is Claimed That Recent Investiga-
tlon Was a WhitewaSh of
Rev. DR.. Forbes.


has been committed to Jail in Tampa
for 30 days for contempt of court in
that city in refusing to be sworn re-
garding his alleged purchase of let
ters from deputy sheriff of Hills
boro county, which letters We're OBJ
.tained from the rooms of DR.. F. N.
Weightnovel, alleged abortionist,
when he was arrested on the charge
of causing the death of Miss Irene
Randall by criminal operation.
There is something back of all this.
Last summer the Palatka News
along with other papers of the state
received circular letter Win the
names of the trustees of Stetson uni
versity, in which the trustees stated
that they had held meeting and
had Investigated certain charges of
immortality against Rev. DR.. J. F.
Forbes, president of the university.
The trustees declared in the circular
that the investigation had been
thorough, and that as Il result the
board completely eXOnerated DR..
Forbes.
1t has since been common talk
that the investigation was made at
the inst;gAtion of John B. StetsOn,
the millionaire hat manufacturer,
who has given 100000 to the univer-
sity.
1t is also stated that President
Forbes threatened to sue Mr.. Stet-
son for defamation of character,
claiming damage in amount of $780,
900.
Mr.. Stetson has been greatly wor-
ried. The scandal is an absorbing
topic in DeLand. The university is
Mr.. Stetson's pet hobby. He is a
good man and he wanted Forbes
ousted. He didn't believe in him.
Mr.. Stetson retained Judge Stewart
to look after his interests in the mat
ter, and the Weightnovel letters in
Judge Stewarts hands, it is claimed,
will show Forbes up in bad light.
The Tampa Tribune, has exposed
the matter as follows:
'The letters in the possession of
Judge Stewart were found among the
effects of DR.. Weightnovel, after his
arrest for causing the death Of Miss
Irene Randall, by performing an op-
Grafton upon her.
"They relate to scandal affecting
Stetson university, at DeLand,
which recently caused comment
throughout the state. This scandal,
it will be remembered, alleged gull
tv relations between President
Forbes, of the university, and lady
teacher in the institution, who was
formerly "a resident of Hillsborough
county All investigation was held
under the direction of Governor W..
S. Jennings, and the other members
of the board of trustees of the uni
versity. After the investigation, II
was announced that the charges had
been fully exploded, and that DR..
Forbes and the teacher in question
had been fully vindicated. '-~
meantime, John B. Stetson, the
millionaire hat manufacturer, who
gave 100000 to Stetson university
and who has spent a million dollars
in DeLand and vicinity, retained
Judge Stewart to represent him In
making thorough investigation OF
the charges. Mr.. Stetson said that
he was unwilling tor even the breath
of suspicion to attach to the institu-
tion which he founded and which
bears his name. During this lnVestl-
cation, the tell-tale letters from the
private papers of the alleged abor-
zionist of Tampa came into the pos
session of millionaire Stetson's attor-
ney. =.
I'm preparing the prosecution of
DIR, Weightnovel on the charge of
preferred against him,
Solicitor Simonton learned of the eX-
istence of the letters and of their be-
ing in the possession of Judge Stew
art, A correspondence ensued be-
tween the Solicitor and Judge Stew
art, resulting in the latter's sum
mons to come to Tampa to appear in
court as u witness.
"Judge Stewart alleges, however,
that there is still another chapter to
the story. He claims that the legal
instituted to get possess
sion of the discriminating letters are
instigated by Governor Jennings,
who as a member of the board OF
trustees of the university, eXoner-
nted President Forbes in the investi-
cation, and now desires to shield
him from further accusation.
Representing Mr.. Stetson in the
matter. Judge Stewart is not averse,
he saws. to making the letters public,
if required to do so by the court, but
he does not propose that they shall
he DESTROYED or made away with, as
he expects to use them in the further
of the charges of immor-
ality at the university"
A telegram from Philadelphia to
the Tampa Herald of Tuesday says:
uMr. Stetson announced to-day
that his will contained provision
for leaving Stetson university up
wards of half million dollars, put
that he had cut out this provision,
and would in no way assist or endow
the college beyond what he has al
ready done. -,.
Mr.. Stetsou said that he had taken
this step, following the action of the
hoard of trustees of the university
which bears his name in eXonerating
the president, John F. Forbes, of the
instftution, whose conduct has re-
Gently been under investigation"
To reporter of the same paper on
Judge Stewart said that his
efforts have all been toward exoner-
ating Stetson university from all
L-oath Of snandal. and that in such g