The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-01-06
GRAVE CHARGES IN
A CHURCH SCANDAL.
Case OF Bishop Talbot Of Penn
sy'vania Develops Into
a Sensation,
CCNSPlRED WITH WOMAN
Wealthy Relative of New York Million
are Family Alleged to Have Been
Involved in Persecution Of
a Pastor.
CCNsPlRED WITH WOMAN

New York, Dcc. With the grave
chalSeS affecting tie moral standing
OF Bishop Ethelhert Talbot filed in a
formal presentment. with detectives
working night Dnd day upon the seii-
*ation2! line of inquiry in the case, and
with the shadow OF an untrocked rec
tor and n woman of wealth and high
social connections in the background,
surprising revelations are about 10 be
come pubic regarding The Episcopal
central PENNSYLVANIA diocese.
Several times have efforts been
made TO get To the bottom OF this &c
cleSi3stical scandal, which has again
come 10 the front, but these have been
smothered. i:ut wealth has at last
ari'tycd itself upon tle side of tho de-
ieated man. Leading c%hurchmen have
demanded Il fair hearing for him, and
j. Plerpo!t Morgan is among those
personally interested in solving the
ton 81 Bishop Talbot in unfroclling
Re-. Ingram NJ. w. Irvine. formerly of
81. I':t,,s church, Huntingdon. Pa.
The Woman in tho Case.
Two years age Roy. Nh. lrvire
seemed doeisively beaten in his effort
10 bri3% counter accusations against
TIE htSnor. These Involved the story
81 ~iHiiuencc cSerted over The bishop
by Mrs. Emma u. Elliott. a woman
said 20 haN had four husbands. from
y" of whom She had been divorced.
The rector was generally believed to
hay" given up all thought OF a contest
Win tho bishop, but during the long
interval II appears that new and pow
ettrl friends have slowly been enlisted
10 his cause.
TIC new rresentment against lSish-
"p Talbot was drawn up in ihiladcl-
phit by Henry Budd, chancellor of the
,%'i"cese. ~ has been amended. en-
lalged and finally placed in the hands
of Francis iyndc Stetson, personal
counsel for j. p. Morgan. ii was am
1"unced that there will be fourteen
men % wide influence who will APP
pear - presenters before the commit
tee % inquiry, which has been called
L" meet in reading or January 10.
They represent central Pennsyl-
Nania, Two adjoining dioccses. or
course, none of The committee can mt
this time discuss the particulars of the
~Iresontnent.
Conspiracy is Alleged.
~" -presentment charges Bishop
uaioot with conspiracy with Mrs. FL
fott t" ruin Rev. Mr.. Irvine. and ac-
'uscs t;rn of the ~dishonorable and nm
authorized use of the names of fell"w
bishops in a letter tending To iniure
the rector. Definite a"nnouuc.man is
made that the charges now brought
against bishop Talbot are new; thai,
'hey don't deal with ecclesiastical
'eciniealities. but are aimed at his yu.i-
waite lie and are such as 10 gravrlv at
tack ms moral standing.
Regarding the new presrntn,en
Chancellor Budd said in philadelphin;
II was called upon by several innu-
initial mon recently, shown severn! doc
uln"nts II asked TO draw M n new
ny,. semi mani lpni,,ct ID;.l,,- ',
M"u!d say That in drawing up this doc
oincht J did not act in my official ca
patitN as chancellor. bu, simply as ,
'aMHer who has been called upon for
advice | hal tried to keep ou; of Tho
case but the serious character of the
'sW 'fcts presented to me left me no
alternative than TO draw up the pre-
sentiment IN due form"
Charges Are All New.
WIZ you state whether or no, inc
.nlr"eS now brought against Bishop
Talbot are new. or have they been re-
irffea TO in previous airings given i'm
ll" caSc?"
the charges are aii new and of such
serious character that /! could not dis
,sGitra them"
DO they real With commodities of
.tr'nSiastical affairs OF personal mat
Inc. deal solely with the bjsbop,s
PERSONAL! affairs. The charges are grave
ana attack tie bishops moral stand
Ing '"'''
Although many chnrchsoers s,ill
nave fresh in memory the incidcn,s
leading to the impending crisis. a word
as 10 the facts will doubtless recall
them to all. The Rev. Mr.. Irvine was
sector OF st. Paul's church at Hunt
1nstion. Mrs, Elliott, who is a half sis
Ter OF Mrs o.. II. p. Belmont. New
YORK. was the most wealthy member
OF ms congregation. Bishop Talbo, Wis
1l"d iier house upon Il missionary yisi,
l" THO church.
Mrs. EIIiott's Troubles.
Mrs. Elliott had a dispute With the
rector regarding some church finance
The rector learned that she had boeu
''Horced and afterwards married n
man who also had secured n divorce
from his wife upon the ground of do
Sei'ilon. lie wrote to the hishop stat
ing the facts as regards "a woman or
his congregation" and was ordornJ "a
refuse communion to her.
Afterwards the rector refused ia 70
send his action at the bishops com
niand. and also refused TO resign. Mrs
l.tliott ~thereunon brought a charge of
forgery OF :; letter against the rector
Wh'ch inallN was ignored by the grand
jury. fnen Bishop Talbot convened
an eccleslasticai court. before which
me various charges brought against
the rector We're heard, and he was mn
trocked. 49, W"
The rcctor's friends brought tho fret
r~reSentment against the bishop mi
by a close Vote the investigatinc COM
1nIttee refused to order a trial of the
bishop. The matter rested ,nt;l ~