The San Francisco call., 1908-11-09
Edna Clark Declared Engage
ment Had Been Pledged
With Her Solitaire 4i
Rector, on Verge of Breakdown,
Refuses to Discuss Priestly
Caresses
Mother of Missing Girl Col
lapses While Friends Con-
tinue Search

tlnue Search
The revelations made by
Miss Edna Reynolds and the
sensational admissions Of
Father Payson Young, rec
tor of the Episcopal church
of st. Mary the Virgin, gave
a new impetus yesterday to
the work of untangling the
twists and turns of the
mysterious disappearance OF Ed
ma Clark, the Alameda art stu
dent.
Following her statements of
the day before in which she de-
clared that Miss Clark had con-
fessed to her of love affair ex-
listing between Father Young and
herself, Miss Edna Reynolds last
night gave additional details. the
most unique being to the effect
that Edna Clark had told her Of
Father Young wishing" a ring
on her finger.
I'll fol =
nolds. that Father Young had in
formed her that he was wealthy in his
own right. This statement struck me
as being rather queer when she later
told me of his having wished a ring
on her finger. She was wearing soli
tsire diamond ring at the time. She
said that on one of her visits to
Father Young's study he had gone
through the ceremony of wishing a
ring and pledged the engagement with
her own ring. 1 thought then that n
man of wealth with bona fide inten-
tions acted in rather a peculiar man
ner in pledging a betrOthal with the
girls ring.
REASONS FOR ENMITY
Continuing Miss Reynolds gave an
inkling of the reason of the enmity be-
tween Father Young and Father Vim
cent.
1T seems" she said. that Edna
visited Father Young while Father Vim
cent was at the rectory. She told me
that while she was sitting on Father
Young's lap the other priest walked
in and caught them in that embar-
RAISING position. That was the first
time she had seen Father Vincent and
she was then introduced to him."
Miss Reynolds again repeated her as
sertions that the only trouble between
Edna Clark and her mother was in the
mind of Father Young. Miss Reynolds
had the greatest Eesitancy in impart-
ing the information about her friend.
but in the face of Father Young's de-
NAL of an engagement she decided to
withhold nothing Her one aim now
is to locate her chum and bring her
back to her mother and clear up the
mystery.
Father Young was the pivot of the
search yesterday, but absolutely moth
ing could be gained from him As far
as he was concerned the episode was
imbedded in a quagrnire of priestly
kisses misunderstood. Of churchly en-
braces taken awry.
His was the position Of a man who
had done with the entire problem. His
face was pale. his manner nervous TO
the verge Of a breakdown; but through
all he was silent. Through others he
| let it be understood that he had said his
last say when he confessed 70 having
kissed and embraced Miss Clark
purely in pastorlike way.
In the face of these admissions.
however, and the story told by Miss
Reynolds, the detectives on the case
refused to believe that Father Young
had told all he knew regarding the
disappearance and they made strenuous
endeavors TO have him talk more fully
He would not do so.
In the meantime. Mrs. Anita Mack.
mother of the lost girl. worn down By
the strain. the anxiety and worry.
broke down completely yesterday and
/ last night was in an exeeSdingly pre-
carious condition. The family friends
believing the girl was alive and fully
| cognizant of the search that was being
made for her, sent letters to every town
/ in the state, telling her Of her mothers
condition and begging her TO return or
at least send some word They believe
that the girl Is in correspondence with
some persons and hope that one OF the
thousands of letters sent broadcast over
the land will find its way into her
hands.
Father Young conducted the services
at his church as usual yesterday morn
/ ing. the sermon. however. being
preached by Or. Stone in behalf OF the
Seaman's institute Immediately fol-
/ lowing the close OF the services Father
| Young retired to his study and locked
himself in All requests for interviews
were refused point blank He remained
alone in his study until a short time
before vespers and was then joined by
his three vestrymen, F. 3. Chefin, ".
Handyside and r. Burnop. The four
l were closeted together and, though thu