Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-01
MRS. EDDY SPEAKS
TO THE REPORTERS
AGED HEAD OF vlyas;a vlssSa s.
SCIENCE CHI. :. yeal.is
AN INTsTEw

Answers Three Questions and Disap-
pears with Fourth One Unanswered
Two Newspaper Men Are Barred
From Privileges OF Others.
New York, Oct. 31.-The New York
Sun this morning prints the following
interview granted by Mrs. Mary Baker
G. Eddy to a party of newspaper repre-
sentatives at her home in Concord, N.
H., yesterday.
MARY Baker Eddy is alive, but old
and feeble, and suffering from some
complaint like palsy, which makes her
head and hands shake She gave prob
ably the last interview of her life this
afternoon to eleven reporters from
Boston and New York, and now, In
the words of one Of her household the
gates of Pleasant View are closed for
ever
"Ever since Sunday, when a New
York newspaper came out with story
to the effect that Mrs. Eddy was under
the control of her houshold and that
Mrs. PAMELA Leonard, a healer OF
Brooklyn, was impersonating the lead
er of Christian Science on her daily
drive, the city Concord, N. H.) has
been full of reporters. H. Cornell Will
son, Christian Science press agent for
New York and vicinity, arrived Mon
day morning and stood between the re-
porters and the household at Pleasant
View. Archibald Mcclellan, editor of
the official Christian Science publica-
tions, came up to help, and L. @.
Strang, the local man, also was on the
i job.
"The first reporters to arrive de-
manded an interview. Wilson stood
them off, declaring last night Mrs.
Eddy was busy and the story hadn't
vet been called to her attention. He
announced he might have something
important to say If the reporters would
meet him at noon today at the Eagle
hotel. At II o'clock he appeared with
a list of reporters he proposed to ad-
NIT. Four of five of those present
were not on the list.
i Two Reporters Barred Out.
GIVE didn't like the tone Of your
story yesterday said Mr.. Wilson to
one man. However, they fought 1t out
| until. all but tHo were, let In on the
interview. The reporter for the paper
y which published the original story and
|, magazine man were not forgiven.
"a woman reporter for a weekly
went up to Pleasant View last night
, and had herself appointed spokesman
She came back with three questions
: which she had agreed with the scien
lists, were to be asked of Mrs. Eddy
In their conclave this morning, the
reporters added a fourth. There were
eleven reporters altogether. Wilson
lined them up in the big reception
: room of Pleasant View This opens
: from main hall by folding doors hung
: over with curtains. Members Of Mrs
3 Eddy's household. including Mrs. Pa
melia Leonard were fringed about the
2 wall There came tap on the folding
!, door.
:. "She is here announced one O
the healers dramatically.
"The folding doors slid back, the
curtains lifted-a stately figure IL
white bowing at the door, stately a
/ first sight, but feeble old woman a
Y second Her skin was dead white, he
1 cheeks sunken, every ounce of SPAR
4 fat gone from her face. The long
h pointed chin. characteristic of Mrs. Ed
i, dy's face in youth, was as beautiful Al
q ever. So indeed, were the large BROW
S eyes, and mass of perfectly whit
e hair, crowned by white bonnet.
/ Shakes as with Palsy.
I "She was enfolded in huge blac
u velvet and ermine cloak. She wa
y grasping the curtain with one hand
: Calvin Frye, her secretary, stood a
L the other elbow. Both hands wer
= shaking, her head and lower lip COZ
y stantly trembled a little, as with
slight palsy. The spokeswoman bega
at once on the first question.
care you in perfect health, Mr.
S Elly!' she asked.
"Mrs. Eddy bent toward her with
?. slight movement Of inquiry. Th
!. spokeswoman repeated the question
little louder.
is Indeed am replied Mrs. Eddy.
r. "The effect of her voice was star
1t ling. 1t had a slight senile CULVER, br
ID it was deep and level. The combin,
tion gave 1t an unearthly quality.
intensified feeling which all the r
porters confessed to each other afte
ward-that this was not woman, b,
re an apparition.
Have you any other physician tha
IL God?' asked the spokeswoman.
g No physician but God. His eve
d lasting arms are about me. That
S enough
a, GAS she said this Mrs. Eddy made
= eweeping gesture with her disengage
hand and let go her hold on the Gu
tain
"'Do you drive daily?'
al "'Yes'
Fourth Question is Unanswered.
OF cat that instant Frye caught her {
OIL bow and turned her toward the frol
e door, before which her carriage waite
ST to take her on her drive. Strang fe
III in on the other side and Mrs. Edo
walked between them.
Have you the management of yo1
own affairs?' asked the spokeswoman
IL "The question was never answere
he At the door Frye and Strang fell bac
ut Mrs. Eddy walked the width of tt