The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-31
WOULD Housewife IRVINE.
Mrs. Elliott Talks of the TaIbOt-Ir-
vine Controversy.
From the New York Herald.


From the New York Herald.
Huntingdon, Pa. Dec. 2s.-Mrs. EN-
ma Desha Elliott consented to explain
to-day for the first time her position
in the controversy between Bishop
Ethelbert Talbot and the Rev. Ingram
n. w. Irvine. D. d.
Now what is it you wish me to tell
you?" commenced Mrs. Elliott. Il don't
wish to discuss the controversy be-
tween Bishop Talbot and DR.. Irvine.
To tell YOU the truth, | am really
afraid of Or. Irvine. | am a South
ern woman. ana, l must say, my opin-
ion of Northern chivalry has not been
improved by my knowledge Of what
DR.. Irvine has said and DONE
But l don't wish to seem to be
eager to criticise DR.. Irvine. l don't
wish to indulge in personalities. Real
ly, 1 wish you would not ask me to
talk at all. 1t is a painful subject
and I have suffered
Mrs. Elliott's voice .quivered and her
eyes We're filled with tears.
Such cruel, unkind things have
been published about me-" she con-
tinued when she had gained her self
control, 1T is so difficult for wom-
an to prove otherwise once the tongue
of scandal has taken liberties. how
ever unjust and uncalled for. with her
name.
Il have hesitated to reply to the
base, false, cruel insinuations that
have been levelled against me by a
man whom ! befriended, who broke
bread at my table and who took mon
ey from my hand"
Now, now, Emma, interrupted Mr..
Elliott, don't say too much. Control
yourself"
If the truth must be known" re-
piled Mrs. Elliott, why should not I
do my part in showing this man to the
world in his true colors? He has again
tried to cast reflection upon me by
stating that wore purple when Bishop
Talbot visited me. Suppose l did?
frankly admit that / wore gown of
purple on several occasions when Bish-
CD Talbot was a visitor to my house,
but l had the gown made in Philadel-
phia long before l ever met or knew
Bishop Talbot. MY wearing it had
nothing to do with his coming and Dr..
Irvine knows it. 1t is but another of
his unkind remarks by which he hopes
to injure Bishop Talbot and myself.
My relations with Bishop Talbot
have been simply and only those of
friendship. 1t was my duty when the
Bishop of this diocese came to Hunt
ingdon to receive him and entertain
him. Other members of the church
here did so, and why should / have
hesitated to do so? I was innocent of
any wrong doing, and no one knows it
better than DR.. Irvine. He has acted
all along through sheer malice.
Il will tell you why DR.. Irvine has
tried to injure me. l have been
member of st. Johns Church here for
years and until a short time ago was
president of the Ladies Auxiliary.
The Rev. Mr.. Houghton was rector of
the church when 1 came here after my
marriage TO Mr. Elliott. l had OBJ
tanned a divorce from my second hus-
band and Mr.. Elliott had obtained
divorce from his first wife. / went to
Mr.. Houghton and explained to him
that l had been divorced under the
canons of the church. He said my ex-
PLANTATION was satisfactory and he had
no objection to my becoming a COM
municant at his church. Well, Mr.,
Houghton died several years later, and
then DR.. Irvine came here.
Il told DR.. IRVINE in my own house
and in the presence of two other wom-
en- members of our church that l was
a divorced woman, and he offered no
OBJ ection. He and ! were on the
friendliest terms after that. He often
dined at my house, and whenever he
needed money for the church l never
hesitated to give him any amount he
desired.
"The trouble began with the coming
of choir master from st. Lukes
Church, at Altoona, to instruct the
choir at our church. When the time
came for paying the choir master, DR..
Irvine appealed to me. / gave him
the needed sum. 1t was not quite $50,
and l thought no more of the matter
until one day, greatly to my surprise,
/ received a letter from the choir mas
ter, who had returned to Altoona, in
forming me that he was i'll and I'M
able to perform his duties, and ask
ing me to send him the money due
him for his services at our church.
We'll you can imagine my utter
amazement when discovered that DR..
Irvine had never given the choir mas
ter the money he had begged from
me, and Of course was naturally in
dignant. That was the first opening of
the breach between us, and one thing
led to another, until finally DR.. Irvine