The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-22
EDDY TEST PROPOSED
Plaintiffs in Suit Give Out
Letter on Subject.
WANT IMPARTIAL WITNESSES
Communication Sent to GEN. streeser
March ~ Not Answered-PFOpOsi
ton Made That Both sides Be Rep
resented az Interview with Found
er of Christian Science Church.

Concord. n H, April a.-Counsel for
the plaintiffs in the Eddy VS.. Frye suit
tonight gave out the following letter
addressed TO Gen. Streeter, chief counsel
for the defense, which they said has not
up TO this date been answered in any
form:
Concord, n. H. March p, 1901.
q "Hon. Frank S. Sueeter, Concord, n. H.
Dear Sir: As counsel for George W.
Glover, Mary Baker Glover, George w.
Baker. Fred w Baker. and f. J. Foster
Eddy, suing with Mrs. Mary Baker
Glover Eddy. as her next friends in the
suit OF Eddy against Frye and others,
we have taken the responsibility Of
charging as the fundamental facts which
give us the right to originate and main
tain the suit as such next friends that
the mind of Mrs. Eddy. eighty-six years
old, is. and for a long time has been, so
impaired by infirmaties of age and other
wise that she is incapable, in her circum-
stances. of understanding and protecting
her property rights against the undue in
huences. control, and fraud of other per-
sons
since the bill was filed On March ],
We have not failed to notice that this
averment Of ours is denied by you in words
like these;
Her capacity TO manage her business
and other affairs cannot be questioned.
From my conference with her. her clear
ness of mind and resolution of purpose
have been in no respect impaired by her
advanced years Her capacity 10 think
clearly and TO deal accurately and justly
with private business affairs has never
been more perfectly demonstrated than in
her conferences and acts In the last two
weeks, and in numerous business letters j
have received from her during that time
MIR. Baker Also Present.
And that others have joined in your
denial. Hon. Henry NJ. Baker in words
like these:
" To-day we talked with her for one
hour at her house. She sat and talked,
and gave closest application for the space
OF sixty minutes. There was no uncer-
tainty of thought or movement, but in all
gestures and sound. sense, and strength,
acuteness. She receives from TO T.
and always there is some one TO see her.
and have seen as many as six at time
She dominated the debate for an hour
and showed a mind as keen and alert as
many woman forty years her junior
Banker Joseph f. Fernald as follows
She was as alert mentally as she was
twenty years ago
Banker Fred n. Laid, in the following
words:
Not only is Mrs. Eddy competent to
manage her own affairs. but she is
wonderful woman. because of her re-
markable grasp of financial affairs and
her discretion in making investments.
And Mayor and Judge OF Probate
Charles r. Corning, thus.
Other subjects came up, one after
another, so varied and extraneous that
YOU would suppose she would not have
kept in touch with them. But she had
Her grasp OF outside matters was accu-
rate, swift, and comprehensive TO a sur
prising degree. When I saw Mrs Eddy.
a short time ago no man of sense would
say she wasn't sane, and brilliantly so.
Proposition Is Made.
IN view Of these denials. we have the
honor TO ask YOU to assent 10 certain
steps designed 10 ascertain the truth con-
corning Mrs Eddy's present and past
condition, and TO expedite litigation. Tn
fortunately, We have not free access to
Mrs. Eddy-s presence. as you have, and
We should reluctantly undertake to force
our witnesses into her house under cir
cumstances which might prove disturb
ing or injurious TO her-notwithstandingd
the confidence of yourself, Mr.. Baker, and
other gentlemen that she is capable Of so
much labor ana endurance as you have
described But you have the free right of
entrance to Mrs. Eddy's house and can
readily secure admittanoe and interviews
with her of the witnesses by whom her
condition of body and mind is to be estab- !
lished in the pending legal proceedings.
We therefore propose that you select |
three competent gentlemen and that we
select three others, and at hours con-
venient the six be allowed to visit Mrs.
Eddy and by observation ana converse
tion qualify themselves TO be witnesses !
for or against our contentious; no one but /
the six persons TO be allowed to talk with |
her and not more than six additional /
persons. selected I'm the same way, to be 4
permitted to be present. Shorthand writ 1
ers may attend 10 take down all that is /
said, or may be excluded and nothing 1
taken down. as YOU may prefer. OF course /
we do not suggest that other proper per- !
sons shall not see Mrs. EDDY at suitable |
times.
We are confident that you and the /
counsel for the defendant will welcome 4
this offer Of ours as proposing a wise and 4
considerate method of expeditlng iitiga- /
ton.
III the facts thus obtained and such /
other testimony as may be pertinent shall /
justify our vital contention we should be |
glad that you agree to our plan of proof. /
II. on the other hand, the trial shall
demonstrate the truth of your widely pro-
claimed assertions, you will not regret
that you accepted our sensible and AMIGA
bic proposition Yours. very truly,
WILLIAM T. CHANDLER
MARTIN D. HOWE
JOHN ". KELLY"
Gen. Streeter was seen by your CORE
spondent, but he declined to make any
statement whatever concerning the letter
in question.