The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-28
A CHURCH SCANDAL
Bishop TaIbot's Moral
Standing Attacked.
The Name of a Prominent Society Wo.
man is Mentioned in Connection
With This Sensational
Case,
Especial to the Times-Dispatcb ,

Especial to the s-Dispatch.)
New York, Dec. 27.-Not before in
the history of the Episcopal church
in America has there been threatened
d scandal involving such high per-
sonages, as that which will be
threshed out in Reading, Pa, next
month
The central figures in the affair are
the Rt. Rev, Ethelbert Talbot. Bishop
of Central Pennsylvania; Mrs. Emma
ID. Elliott, social leader of Newport,
Philadelphia and Huntingdon, Pa,
vstaughter of the late General Oesha.
haf sister Of the former Mrs. William
K. Vanderbilt, who is now Mrs. O. H.
r. Belmont; and the Rev. Ingram n.
w. Irvine, the pastor of Huntingdon,
whom Bishop Talbot unfrocked be-
cause of his attitude toward Mrs.
Elliott.
y new presentment against Bishop
Talbot has been drawn up in this city
by Henry Budd, Chancellor OF the dio-
cese and has been placed in the hands
of Francis Lynde Stetson, personal
counsel for j. PierDont Morgan.
II was said TO charge Bishop Talbot
With conspiracy with Mrs. Emma T.
Elliott. TO ruin the Rev. Mr.. irwin =
and to accuse him of the dishonorable
and unauthorized use of the names of
fellow bishops in a letter tending to
iniure the former rector.
1t is positively stated. however that
the new presentation omits the mem
tion of conspiracy with Mrs. Elliott.
Still the friends of Rev Irvine say
they cannot see how the case can
come up in any form without the wo-
man who brought about the unfrock-
ing of the rector by the Bishop being
obliged to figure largely and there is
little secret made of the fact that in
vestigations are being made along that
line.
Although Mr.. Morgan has been
generally credited with being the au-
thor of the new charge, because of the
fnancier's great interest of the affairs
Of The Episcopal church, he denied
today in the most positive manner
that he had anything to do with the
presentment or that he had the least
knowledge of the presentment or the
charges it contained.
Rev. Mr.. Irvine at his home in
Philadelphia, today said: 'In the
first place, / wish it could be made
plain that this new presentment is not
an attack by me upon Bishop Talbot,
but that it is a prosecution brought
by the church to inquire into actions
whicn bring the church into discredit.
When questioned about the new
prtsentment, Chancellor Budd saiG to
the New York Herald representative:
Il was called unon by several in
huentjal men recently, shown several
documents and asked to draw UP n
new presentment against Bishop Tai
bet, | would say that in drawing up
this document I did not act in my
Official capacity as chancellor. but
simply as a LAWYER who has been
called uDon for advice.
There has been much discussion
among prominent churchmen about
the case. l will not say who We're the
men who first approached me in the
matter. 1t was finally decided to
have fourteen presentors.
"Cniy seven are needed, but as four
of these haV" to be from the diocese
in which the alleged olfenses are said
to have occurred and as DR.. Irvine's
friends in Huntingdon are possibly
not influential as some others it may
have been the intention to have the
weight OF the committee come from
the outside.
"The Committee OF Inquiry, which
meets in Reading next month, is in
the nature Of a grand ury, and will
deterr.'nC whether or not the evidence
adduced warrants the summoning of
the Bishop for trial.
Il am sure l don't know whether j.
Pierpont Morgan is personally inter-
ested in the case or not. I know that
one of his attorneys will probably rep-
resent the prosecutors at the hearing"
will you state whether or not the
charges now brought against Bishop
Talbot are new, or have they been
referred 60 in previous airings given
the case?" the Chancellor was asked.