The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-11-04
STRANGE STORIES TOLD OF MRS. EDDY Is She Helpless in the Hands of
 aClique? SUCH A CHARGE IS MADE Newspaper Yarn stlrs Up the Chris tlan scIentlsts-career of the
 Aged Head of the
 Church.
SUCH A CHARGE IS MADE
BY SEWELL HAGGARp.

New York, November 3.-(Special. )-Fol- lowing reports that she was dead. a New York newspaper created a great sen- sation a few days ago by charging that the aged Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy the head of the Christian Science church, was so infirm mentally and physically, that she was powerless in the hands of three or four designing persons, who are part of her household at Concord, N. H. It was even charged that Mrs. Eddy was impersonated by a dummy, Mrs. p. J. Leonard of Brooklyn, in daily drives about the city. The story continued:
 Mrs. Eddy Is powerless in the hands of designing persons. They absolutely con. trol her, and their employment os Mrs. Leonard's services is for a deep plr- pose. Just what that purpose is may be easily imagined.
 Many millions of dollars-iust how many tine records fail 10 show--haTe passed into Mrs. Eddy's personal pos session since the founding of the Chris ton Science cult. Millions of her books have been sold and each book has yield ed her royalty of Sl.
 From the mother church in Boston she yearly receives a great sum- contributed by devotees in all parts of the world, In the form of annual dues. One of her closest friends and followers estimates Mrs. Eddys fortune at $l5,00O,0O0, and her annual income at Sl00O,000
 "Of this vast sum there is practically no trace. There is no public record of its investment, no clew to its distribu- ton.
 Her financial agent and cousin, Fred erick N. Ladd. secretary of the Loan and Trust Savings Bank Of Concord, while refusing details, has said that Mrs. Eddy's estate is surprisingly small she having ''expended the bulk of ner for tune in charities
 But none of the charities aided by Mrs Eddy could be designated by MT. Ladd or found by searchers. Mrs. EGdy's only visible asset is the Concord house and the forty acres of park land that surround it-valued in all at S40,01O
 Christian Scientists the world over doubtless will be anxious 10 know what has become of the great fortune of the helpless old lady, confined to an upper room of her isolated home.
 "They will only have to consult the real estate transfers of Concord, N H.. for clew to its whereabouts.
 These records show that Mrs. Eddys estate, Pleasant View. was originally pur- chased in great part by Joseph T. Mann, her former butler and brotier of her present coachman They also show that Mrs. Eddys home, it's furnishings and all her jewelry were transferred a few years ago to Calvin A. Frye. the pres ent footman, secretary and supreme power at Pleasant View.
 ''When an action for damages against Mrs Eddy threatened to reveal to the public this transaction, the property was quickly transferred back to its aged owner
 s Calvin A. Eyre Is a great name in Concord. He is a footman in livery on the box of Mrs. Eddy's carriage dur Ing the daily drives of the real Mrs. Leonard and fictitious Mrs. Eddy. He is secretary at Pleasant View for the rest of the time, the one in absolute authority, who for three years has guarded Mrs. Eddy with vigilance known only in prisons
 ''For three years Calvin A. Frye has stood between Mrs. Eddy and the out side world By his order she has been as invisible to Christian Scentists-save to a chosen few-as to the general public.
 ''Devotees. rich, socially prominent and loyal 70 the cult, have been turred away from the door of Pleasant View by Frye They have been assured that Mrs. Eddy, although in perfect health, was overwhelmed with work. and could not be disturbed. They were told that she could only be seen in her daily drives and were cautioned not to peer through the windows of the carriage under penalty of Mrs. Eddy's displeas- ure
 Calvin A. Frye always has conveyed Mrs Eddys messages to the outer world, has sent her supposed manuscripts to the Christian Science publishers in Boston, and has assumed all responsi- bilities as her sole representative.
 Mrs Eddy's last genuine public ap- pearance was three years ago. when for a moment she posed on the balcony at Pleasant View in sight of the assembled