Mexico Missouri message., 1907-08-29
COUNSEL FOR NEXT FRIENDS"
sroPs BATTLE AGAINST CHRIS.
TlAN SCIENCE LEADER.
COURT GRANTS the REQUEST
flight Was Started by Son and Other
Relatives Against churehmen--
Sought . Receiver.
ship.

Concord. ". H.-Gen. streeter. at.
torney for Mrs. Mary Baker q. Eddy,
leader OF the Christian Science church
IN the suit by next friends" 20 com
pei an accounting of her property and
estate, announced 20 the court. that
by agreement with ex-senator Chand.
Ter. COUNSEL for the plaintiffs. the suits
have been withdrawn,
This action precipitateiy ends, Just
as II reached the critical stage. a legal
contest which has attracted world
wide attention. The suits were instl
tuted at the behest Of Mrs. Eddy's son.
George w. Glover. himself an aged
man. He, with other plaintiffs, among
them his daughter. alleged that the
estate OF Mrs. Eddy. said to be sew
eral millions Of dollars. was being
dissipated through the connivanee o:
those high in authority in the Chris.
tiRn Science church.
Suit Based on senilIty.
II was alleged in the petition that
Mrs. Eddy. who Is now 81 years OF
age. is inhrm and mentally impaired
and that she has been the plant tool
of those who sought to gain control
and direction Of her estate.
The fignt up TO this point has been
bitterly waged. Several days ago. fol.
lowing an appointment OF masters TO
ascertain and report upon Mrs. Eddy's
mental condition, a visit was paid 10
her nome at Pleasant View. on tho
outskirts OF Concord. There Mrs. |
Eddy was subjected 20 a somewhat |
vigorous examination by the attorneys !
and masters. II was announced at |
that time that airs. Eddy answered all |
questions propounded and that she |
gave strong proof that the assertion
as to her mental and physical eondi. |
ton Is impaired was untrue.
AlIenIsts Appointed.
Following this visit. demand was
made that alienists be appointed by
the court 20 visit Mrs. Eddy. This
was done. and Gen. Streeter, her at.
toEney. agreed to arrange for the
visit.
The case had reached this stage
when the announcement came |
Wednesday that the suits had been |
abandoned. The motion to withdraw
was made and granted.
Mr.. Chandler Explains.
Mr.. Chandler said. In notifying the
court OF the withdrawn OF the case;
There are many reasons for THIS
action. and the principal one results
from the consideration Of the unprof.
itableness OF any immediate results
upon the issues as now framed, COM.
pared with the burdens and disadyan.
tages 10 be incurred nv us. both De.
fore and after the decision. The suit
has been almost altruistic in its ma.
ture, and not single dollar OF the
large fortune, whose existence is dis.
closed, or which may be accumulated
as a consequence OF this suit, can
become. at this time, the property OF
the next friends.
There are also reasons, sentimental
in their character, overcoming the
strong desire of the next friends TO
prove the fact and vindIeate the rea.
sons upon which this suit Is based,
which sur, however, 10 hereby dis.
missed"
Frank S. streeter. counsel for Mrs
Eddy. addressed the masters in re-
ply to Senator Chambers motion. and
said:
In behalf Of Mrs. Eddy, we demand
that the masters proceed with this
hearing and determine the questions
submitted, namely, that Mrs. Eddy
was incompetent to manage her bust
ness affairs on March /. 1907. The
motion OF the counsel for the next |
friend proves that their case has col.
lapsed. and they are now running TO
cover. This is their legal right, bur
I am thinking OF the legal rights OF
Mrs. Eddy. She Is entitled to- the pro.
lection Of the court.