Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-31
AYERS INTIMIDATION
LEADING FIGURE IN IRvINE-TAL-
BOT CASE CHARGES TRIcKERY.
Declares That Questionable Methods
Were Used to Secure Reputation Of
Signers to Presentment.

Herbert Noble of New York, one of the
leading figures in the controversy between
Bishop Talbot and DR.. I. n. w. Irvine, who
held a secret conference in Philadelphia
yesterday on the case, said last night that
intimidation had been practiced in getting
the Huntingdon signers to repudiate the
presentment against the bishop.
'The friends of Bishop Talbot he said,
chad an agent at work, and we know who
this agent is. We have had detectives on
the case, and tomorrow we will make a
statement and disclose all the facts to the
public. We know this agent has done his
best to break the power Of the present.
nent, and these regulations are the re-
suit.
Even if the Huntingdon signers do IN
sist upon repudiating the preSentment, II
will not invalidate the instrument when,
even, then, would have more sgners tran
are necessary.
Those in conference with Mr.. Noble were
]. Frederick JenkinSon and Agnew Nc
Bride, two of the Philadelphia signers OF
the presentment and the Rev. w. B. Bo-
dine who is chairman of the board of In
CURRY that will hear the case at Reading,
Pa, next month. The conference lasted
until well into last evening, and at its CON
clusion Mr.. Noble said there was nothing
to give out as the matters discussed would
not interest the public.
w. A. Wilson, another Philadelphia sign
err last night confirmed the statement made
by Huntingdon signers that they signed a
blank sheet of paper but added that al
the presenters attached their names to the
original paper The signatures to the blank
paper, ne said, was for the purpose OF
making another copy of the presentment
If one was found necessary.
DR.. Irvine's Statement.
Dr. Irvine held a conference with Mr..
Noble and Hartwell P. Heath, of New
York Mr. Mobiles partner, which lasted
until after midnight. When DR.. Irvine
was informed that the Huntingdon s1gners
persist in declaring that they did not
knowingly sign a petition against Bishop
Talbot, he made the following statement:
II have no knowledge as to how the sig
natures to the presentment were obtained.
I have certainly misrepresented no fea-
ture of the case to any one. sent the
presentment through the mails to w. >.
Miller of Huntingdon to obtain the sigma
lures of those persons in the city willing
to sign a presentment. I have the Utmost
faith in the honesty, straightforWardnesS
and uprightness of Mr.. Miller, and l DO not
think that he used any dishonorable means
to secure the signature of those men
whose names appear upon the present.
ment''
Opinion is still divided as to whether the
board of inquiry, owing to new canon go
ing into effect on January /, Will have
the right to take up the case. 1t is now
believed that nothing will be done until
the board meets on January 10, when the
members of that body will themselves de-
eide the question.
Bishop Talbot held conference yester-
Gay at Sunbury, Pa, with Col. c. M. Glenn
emit who is an attorney and who has been
close to the bishop all through the trouble
he has had with DR.. Irvine. Col. Clement
was secretary of the Central Pennsylvania
diocese until it was recently divided. He
is now secretary of the Harrisburg diocese,
which Is the name of the Jurisdiction
carved out of the Central Pennsylvania do
cese. After the conference Bishop Talbot
would not talk. All that Col Clement
would say was:
cat present have nothing to say, but
I may be able to give out statement a
little later