Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
AMAZING EXPOSE
GIVEN N, I, = - :: :
-
NEW YORK Aoo9 - sTARTLEs
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS
WITH REVELATIONS

L
Mrs. Leonard, Former Brooklyn
Leader, Is Woman Who Rides About
in Carriage lmpersonattns Her.
BULLETIN.
Concorn, N. H., Oct. 29.-Mrs. Mary
Baker Eddy, head Of the Christian
Science church, who had been report
ed as being seriously Ill, took a drive
in the suburbs today. l. G. Strang,
Mrs. Eddy's secretary, refused, how
ever, to permit newspapermen to see
or interview Mrs Eddy.
New York, Oct. 29.-Members Of
the Christian Science church here
read with amazement the story in the
New York World yesterday in which
1t charged that Mrs. Mary Baker G.
Eddy is dying from cancer, that she is
too i'll to be seen in public, that for
three years she has been impersonat-
ed by another woman, and that her
fortune. estimated at from $15,000,00
to $20,0O0,000, has disappeared.
The Worlds story is told with cir
cumstantial detail. names, addresses.
and dates being given in support of
every allegation some Of them being
backed by afidavits.
Impersonates Mrs. Eddy?
The Worlds charge that Mrs. Eddy
is impersonated by another woman In
order to conceal her real helpless con-
dition from the public, is told in the
following paragraphs:
"Her daily drive through the streets
of Concord is a fraud. Ostensibly Mrs.
Eddy makes this daily public appear
ances. dressed in velvets and ermine,
to show her followers that she is in
perfect health. 1t is not Mrs. Eddy,
but an imposter. trained and costumed
for the purpose, who appears in this
exhibition drive. This impersonator
4 is known to be Mrs Parmelia ]. Leo.
nard of Brooklyn, head of the Chris
tian Science church in that borough.
"The city directory gives Mrs. Leo
nard's home address as 256 Clinton
avenue. Brooklyn. This may be a
technical fact. Actually, however.
Mrs Leonard has been an inmate OF
Mrs Eddy's home at Concord for the
4 last three years.
There she has been perfecting her.
self as an understudy for Mrs. Eddy,
has impersonated the head of the
i Christian Science church in daily ex.
hibition drives when to move the real
Mrs. Eddy from her bed would have
meant the almost certain death Of the
4 enfeebled woman.
Discovery Of Alleged Fraud,
"The manner in hich it was dis
covered that it is Mrs. Parmelia J.
Leonard Of Brooklyn who imperson
atcd Mrs. Eddy in the daily carriage
drives is interesting.
tThere is nothing imposing about
Mrs. Eddy's carriage. 1t Is a fiat
topped coach painted black and drawn
by two fat horses. trained to move at
u jog trot. The drivers seat is level
with the body of the coach. Two
short, thick necked men in livery of a
dark maroon and wearing silk hats OF
! a bygone style occupy it. One is Aug
4 ust Mann, the coachman, the other
Calvin A. Frye.
"There is time for glance through
the windows as the coach lumbers by
Is little can be seen Of the single in
j side occupant.
"This woman is crowned with 8
:, wealth Of snow white hair and muff1ed
ALMOST to the ears in a cape Of ermine
Her white gloved hand holds small
carriage parasol of obsolete style. 1t is
, open above her head as if the sur
were streaming down upon hel
, through a roofless coach.
} But the Eddy coach has soliG
, roof. Moreover. its windows seldom
, are lowered. 1T is almost lightless
and the airless interior in which it i:
supposed Mrs. Eddy sits in state, il
, canopied by her lace fringed parasol
Strategy DiscIoses Trick.
. "At first curious glance through
the window of the coach the real pur
pose of the open parasol was revealed
Quicker than fash 1t was lowered
and the face of the woman inside was
! effectually masked.
''In order to clearly see the face
supposed to be Mrs. Eddy two inves
! tigators resorted to simple strategy
One afoou stepped to the right hanc
window Of the coach, the other, in {
carriage, passed to the left. Dowr
], Iducked the parasol to the right, block
} ing the view on that side, but leavint
an unobstructed vision for the man II
the carriage. The woman In the Edd!
carriage was younger than the aget
j founder OF Christian Science by man,
, years. The flesh of her face was com
i paratively firm and the hands tha
! maneuvered the parasol we're stead.
and strong.
"The full significance Of this discov
cry did not appear until later. whel
the two Investigators stood face tt
face with the real Mrs Eddy, pitifu
r in her weakness