Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-29
SA VS. ENEMY
SEEKS COVER
DECLARES FAMOUS CASE is NOT
COMPROMISED
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PURLIclsT
WRITES OF SUIT
So-CaIIed Next Friends Forced to Ad-
nit Inability to Produce Evidence
and Action Is Suddenly
Abandoned
BY ALFRED FARLow

IalrS ana that she has been control ed
and dominated by certain of her follow
ers, has suddenly collapsed by a motion
of the plaintiffs
For months Caring charges concerrins
the condition of Mrs. Eddy and the CON
duct of her near supporters have been
blazoned forth to the public and counsel
for the so-called next friends have given
out the impression that startling dis
closures were to be made that they would
be able to prove that Mrs. Eddy is in
a helpless state and in the hands of de-
signing men who were not giving proper
account of her income.
After months of noisy boasting 1t now
turns out that the so-called ''rext
friends and their counsel are not able
to produce a scintila of evidence in favor
of their allegations, but that they have
made their charges without the slightest
provocation; that they never have had
the slightest evidence, but have manu-
factured their charges out of whole
cloth.
There has been and is much speculation
as to the real plaintiffs in the case, as to
who originated this gigantic farce and
1t now appears to have been simply an
effort to annoy and discredit Mrs Eddy
and stigmatize the religion of which she
is the founder, and that probably the
the tools of designing men," and that
they probably never would have insti-
tuted this suit of their own volition had
they not been solicited and misled.
Mrs. Eddy Competent
A few days ago, in the course of the
hearing which has just closed, the three
masters who had been appointed by Judge
Chamberlain to determine the question of
hnc
second of March last, when she executed
a deed of trust, together with the leading
counsel on both sides of the case, Wis
tied Mrs Eddy at her home and it was
found that Mrs. Eddy was not only thor
oughly competent but exceedingly alert
and quite a match for the gentle emen who
visited her. Even the counsel who was
seeking to prove her incompetency was
heard to remark that "she was as sharp
as a steel trap"
The result of this interview, which has
been published all over the country, has
established beyond any doubt the fact
that Mrs. Eddy is not only physically
strong for one of her years, but one of
the most alert women of her age who
lives at this period
Ever since the filing of the bill. the
next friends" through their counsel,
have made repeated statements to the
public press as to what they expected
to prove and the evidence they claimed
to have in hand. but which they asserted
could not be disclosed at that time, but
when opportunity arrived would be Of
fered and would sustain and prove each
and all of the allegations in their bill re-
lating to the incompetency of Mrs. Eddy
and the imposition and restraint that
was imposed upon her by all those that
were surrounding her
Since the beginning of the hearing by
the masters appointed by the court. the
fullest opportunity has been given them
and the greatest latitude and indulgence
has been shown them by the masters, and
yet each succeeding day has shown their
inability to produce any material or
competent evidence that would tend to
show in any degree that Mrs. Eddy was
not fully competent and able to manage
her affairs, or, as a matter of fact, that
there was any ground or foundation
whatever for any of the charges that
they so audaciously set forth. And after
days of reteration and repetition of
what they intended to show, they have
finally admitted, by their own motion to
dismiss the proceedings, their utter in
ability to produce the slightest evidence
in support of these grave, unjust and
unfounded charges that they so empha-
sized and proclaimed at every opportun-
ity through the press and in all other
public ways.
There could be no more complete and
higher vindication of Mrs. Eddy and no
stronger admission of failure on their own
part than their voluntary act of asking
dismissal of the case that they have
themselves instituted. Such disposition
of the case must have greater weight in
the. minds of all fair minded persons than
even finding of the masters in favor of
Mrs Eddy could possibly have-to con-
cede that the evidence they had offered
was so slight that they themselves recog-
nized that it was not even sufficient to
submit to the masters for their con-
sideration.
None Knew of Her Affairs
During the time which has elapsed since
the institution of this suit, it has de-
veloped in various ways that with the
exception of Mr.. Calvin A. Frye, Mrs.
Eddy's faithful secretary, none of the
ten defendants had the slightest knowl-
edge of Mrs. Eddy's business affairs nor
had, ever handled a dollar of her money.
1t was also shown by the affidavits of
expert accountants that Mr.. Frye had
carefully given account of Mrs. Eddy's
affairs and that when he closed them up
he had made errors against himself so
that there was due him something over
six hundred dollars.
1t was also discovered that Mrs. Eddy
had manifested a shrewdness in her in
vestments and in the general manage
ment of her affairs which is seldom
equaled even by the most painstaking and
careful business men.
Another point of interest to the public
is the disclosure that Mrs. Eddy is sur
rounded by trusted friends of her own
choosing, who are unusually attentive
and careful regarding her wants.
The case was defended by Gen. Frank
S. Streeter, his partner, Allen Hollis,
Gen. Edmund G. Eastman, Samuel ].
Elder and Hon. VIM. A. Morse. Great
credit is due these men for the calm,
considerate, indulgent and judicial man
ner in which they conducted their case
During the progress of the case it had
been thought advisable by Mr.. Streeter,
counsel for Mrs. Eddy, that an expert
alienist. whose honesty, reputation and
competency could not be questioned
make thorough study of the case and
be prepared to pass judgment thereupon
If it became necessary. 1t was thought
advisable that this alfenist should he tha