The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-06
COLLAPSE OF THE
TALBOT INQUIRY
Presentment Has Been Formal.
ly Withdrawn.
NEW CHARGES MAY BE MADE
BOARD APPOINTED WILL MEET
MONDAY.

Philadelphia, Jan. 5.-The present tiers
of Bishop Ethelbert Talbot. of the Cen
trail Pennsylvania diocese of the Pro-
testant Episcopal church. who have
not repudiated the paper filed against
him, tonight formally withdrew the
charges in writing made against the
bishop by friends of DR.. l. N. w. r.
Vine, the deposed priest. They reserve
the right TO present new charges in
writing"
The document was handed to Rev
DR.. w. B. Bodine, president of the
board of inquiry TO hear the case, late
tonight by j. Frederick Jenkinson of
this city, who spent the day in New
York in conference with those inter-
withdrawal DR.. Bodie said:
The charges against the bishop of
Central Pennsylvania having been
withdrawn by the presenters, it has
been hoped that arrangements may be
made whereby meeting Of the board
Of inquiry could be avoided. AS this
has been found impracticable the
meeting viii take place. as directed by
the presiding bishop. at 10 a. m. on
Tuesday, Jan. 10. The place of meet
ing viii be in the Mansion house in
the city of Reading"
Knew the Contents.
The withdrawal is dated Jan. >, and
10 duuI GSStu 10 BISHOP lutte, 10 WnOm
a copy has been sent. The document
begins by saying that all the signers
10 the present paper knew the con-
tents and the purpose of the Charges
In writing" and enumerates the charg-
es as follows:
Crime, to-wit: A criminal libel"
immortality, to-wit: False state
ments.''
Breach of ordination and consecra-
ton vows"
Continuing, the document says: We
are in possession of such proof as is
sufficient, in our opinion, to put Bish-
op Talbot upon his trial. We believed
and still believe, that the grounds are
sufficient to put the accused bishop on
his trial. The charges were formulated
in order that the manifest scandal in
the church and the disgrace of the Of
flee of Bishop EtheIbert Talbot should
be inquired into by the board of in
quiry, in the expectation and belief
that the board would direct the church
advocate to prepare a presentment to
be signed by such of the board as
agree thereto"
Canon Laws Changed.
The paper then states that since the
board of inquiry was appointed the
canon laws have been changed: that
bishop is now not liable TO be tried
for breach OF his conservation vows. -
duct unbecoming a bishop" In the
canon existing when the changes in
writing" were made these offenses We're
among those for which bishop could
be tried.
The charges. the withdrawal saws.
We're sent to ". G.. Miller of Hunting
ton, with "A request to procure sigma
lures thereto. Upon returning the
document to DR.. Irvine, Mr.. Miller
sent letter in which he said:
InTV
and I send you the same by mail here
with with six names, the very best
could get in such a short time. Hope
II may bring about the matter ali O.
X. They all seemed very glad TO sign
the paper, If it would help you in any
way"
After the names of the signers had
been published. the paper says Dr.
Irvine learned through the newspapers
that the Huntington signers had re-
pudiated the document.
Continuing, the withdrawal says: AS
inComprehensibIe as this seems, upon
investigation the signers find. upon
Information given to them, that at
least two of the Huntington signers
confirmed these reports. They also find
that two of the Huntington signers de-
sire TO withdraw their names from the
charges We Go not know the attitude
of the other two.
For all these reasons. we cannot go
before the board of inquiry, and ac-
cordingly we withdraw our names from
the charges in writing heretofore de-
livered 10 you as presiding bishop.
Believe Charges True.
In thus Withdrawing our names,
however, our action must not be mis-
understood We again reiterate that
we signed the charges in writing, be-
teVing that they should and ought to
be finally and absolutely settled by a
proper inquiry and trial.
We deplore that, owing To the seri-
Gus legal difficulties and the post ion
taken BY some of the Huntington sign
ers, II has become necessary FOR us all.
one anN severally. to request the re-
turn of the charges in writing here
t0fore delivered to you as presiding
bishop, or that the said charges in
writing shall be duly indorsed in writ
ing IN such manner, in accordance
with the facts, as will not prejudice
the delivery to the presiding bishop
OF another document TO take the place
thereof executed in accordance with
the existing canons."
The withdrawal concludes by asking
that if before any further Charges in
writing" are made against Bishop
Talbot, he (Bishop Talbot shall make
a request in the manner provided In
the canons of the church for a board
OF inquiry TO investigate 'rumors, re
ports or charges Gin circulation af-
fecting mis- moral or religious charac-
ter then and in that event we will
furnish to the proper person or per-
sons the proofs we would have pro-
duced before the board of inquiry ord
cred by you"
The paper is signed by J. Frederick
Jenkinson, A. J. Arnold. S. Lord Gil
bertson, Hubert Noble, J. A. Beall, Will
liam b. Wilson and Richard b. Can
non.
Although Rev. DR.. ,Gilbertson signed
ohOUa no fafo
tonight diSavowing any further con-
nection with the case and will not al
low his name to be used TO support
such fraud as has been perpetrated in
-.