Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-05
MRS. EDDY IS UPHELD
Her Bankers Say She Attends
to Her Business.
SIGNS HER OWN CHECKS
Makes Investments and Shows her
Mind is Clear.
IN ALL MENTALLY COMPETENT
Christian Science Treasurer Says Suit
Has Nothing to Do With $12,-
- 100000 Sect Fund.
IN ALL MENTALLY COMPETENT

Has Nothing to Do With $12,-
100000 Sect Fund.
CONCORD. n. H.. March 5.-The earliest
rumor of yesterday concerning the equity
suit brought in behalf of Mrs. Eddy by her
son and other relations was that General
Frank S. Streeter, leader of counsel for
Mrs. Eddy, would seek to have the case
transferred from the state to the federal
courts.
General Streeter would neither deny nor
affirm the story, saying that his statement
of Sunday night would be about all he
would have to say for a time.
According to the schedule Attorneys John
w. Kelley of Portsmouth and Nathaniel E.
Martin of this city met here yesterday
afternoon, expecting answer from Gen
eral Streeter on behalf of the defendants as
to whether he would accept service for Cal
vim Frye and all the other defendants. They
expected that General Streeter would have
something to say to them, but he did not.
He said last night that he would inform the
counsel for plaintiffs on this point this
morning.
Mr. Kelley of the plaintiffs counsel said
last night tIldl IL Ills sue ulu HOl near lTOll
General Streeter this morning they should
seek him and get answer and that
should he refuse to accept service the work
of securing service would be done in the
ordinary way.
1t is intimated that General Streeter does
not propose to accept service for the defend
ants, and that he expects to act solely in
the capacity of private counsel for Mrs.
Eddy
Conference at Pleasantview.
Gen. Henry NJ. Baker Mrs. Eddy's
ond cousin, was at a conference held at
Pleasantview yesterday Those present
included Gen. Streeter, Prof Herman S.
Herring the Rev. Irving c. Tomlinson and
a stranger from Boston.
Gen. Baker refused to say what had
taken place at Pleasantview. other than
that the equity proceedings had been dis
cussed and the case gone over thoroughly.
Gen. Baker made further reference to the
trust fund for the benefit of George w.
Glover. He said the trust had been con-
templated by Mrs. Eddy for long time
and that it was executed before Mrs. Eddy
had any knowledge that these latest pro-
ceedings were to be brought.
Josiah E. Fernald president of the Ma
tional State Capital Bank, which for TWEEN
ty years has been Mrs. Eddy's local bank
ing house, made brief statement yester-
day to the effect that Mrs. Eddy had dur
ing all these years been the directing force
of all her important financial matters and
that as late as February - he had con-
ferred with her with reference to business
matters and found her alert mentally
as ever.
Signs All Checks.
Frederick H. Ladd, treasurer of the Loan
and Trust Savings Bank, also briefly con-
firmed the statement of President Fernald,
saying that to his knowledge Mrs. Eddy
signs all checks and is consulted concerning
all investments. He says she sometimes ap-
proves of suggestions and at other times
decides herself just what selection shall be
made from securities offered.
The people of this city continue almost
as unit in expressing sympathy for Mrs.
Eddy and contempt for the action which
her son has taken.
Has 100000.
BOSTON, March 5.-While lawyers say
Mrs Mary Baker Eddys personal fortune
amounts to at least S1,OOOO0O cash, which
is in a Concord, N H., bank, Stephen A.
Chase of Fall River, retired tanner, con-
verted as he says, when he was cured of
blood poisoning, holds the purse strings of
the Christian Science Church.
Alfred Farlow, spokesman of the church
in Boston, says that these purse strings
inclose fund of between s12,0OO,OO0 and
$13 coo 600. Treasurer Chase makes no es-
| innate, but says tarlOW is generally cor
rect in any statement he makes.
Mr.. Chase has an office fitted up in his
handsome home at 951 Middle street, Fall
River where he keeps two clerks con-
stantly at work. He is man OF large ex-
ecutive capacity and has been looked upon
among the followers Of Mrs. Eddy as
man whose services the church is fortunate
to possess
Treasurer Chase has put a large amount
Of his personal property in his wife's name.
He denies with emphasis that he had ever
deposited any of the church funds In his
wife's name or that he had ever said that
he had. Any statement to the contrary, he
averred, was an error.
Confidence is felt by leaders of the church
in the sagacity OF their treasurer. They
believe that he will not be found wanting
in this time of anxiety. He is fully able
to keep his own counsel and is an adept
at parrying questions from those who seek
information as to the millions of which he
has control.
A Personal Matter.
What Of it If Mrs. Eddy's son has enter
ed suit against her?' said Treasurer Chase.
rs that any reason why the mother church
in Boston and the entire Christian Science
fold should be dragged into it, too? l
cannot see it in that light.
'In my eyes it is nothing more than a
personal matter between our beloved leader
and her son.
Mind you, we stand ready to furnish
all the information necessary to the proper
authorities should the courts so rule Let
me say with emphasis that there is abso-
lutely nothing to be uncovered or exposed.
Everything Is as straight as string. l
am willing to have my accounts inspected
any time. l made my last report last May.
IT repeat that everything is In most ac-
curate form. All things pertaining to Mrs.
Eddy and our church are. There are no
crooked lines in anything with which our
church or our beloved leader is concerned.
1t is not true that / ever signed over any
of the church funds to my wife's name.
Such report Is preposterous. What au-
thority would l have to do anything of the
kind? I have personal property and funds
in my wife's name.
LAS Mr.. Farlow says, hrs. Eddy has al
ways been generous to her son. don't
see what ever possessed him to take this
step, unless there were outside influences.
But what right has the public or the news
papers to pry into the affair? Why should
the private business of a legitimate. honest
prosperous and universally respected soci-
ETY. be dragged before the public gaze! And