The Washington herald., 1910-12-05

W Baker the only surviving nephew OF
Mrs. Eddy. They declared that the ven
cradle founder OF Christian Science was
mentally incapable Of managing her vast
fortune and extensive business affairs
and, furthermore. that there was abund-
| ant reason 10 believe she was helpless IN
| the hands Of designing men who had
wrongfully converted 10 their uses large
sums OF money and properties OF great
value belonging to her.
The defendants named in this actor
were Calvin A Frye footman-secTetary
in control OF Mrs. Eddy's home at Con
cord: Alfred FarloW. chairman OF thu
| Christian Science Publication Committee
Joseph Armstrong, publisher Of the writ
/ ings of Mrs. Eddy: Irving c. Tomlinson
lhealer-teacher and trusted agent Of Al
fred Farlow; Ira c. Knapp. a director OF
the Mother Church; Stephen a. Chase
treasurer; Edward A. Kimball, teacher
lecturer and holder OF Christian Science
copyrights; Louis c. Strang. assistant
secretary at Mrs. Eddy's home, and Her
mann S. Herring. first reader Of the Chris
tian Science Church at Concord
To Protect Aged Woman.
William e. Chandler, former Secretary
Of the Navy and United States Senator
from New Hampshire, was senior counsel
for the plaintiffs. Associated with him
were several lawyers prominent IN New
England.
The action was a suit in equity. in
which Mrs. Eddy appeared as the real
petitioner, through relatives acting as
next friends" under an almost forgot
ten rule OF law From the outset the pc
titioners declared that the suit was not
an attack on Christian Science but an
effort 10 protect an old woman, helpless
in the power of tricksters- The case
went 10 a Court of Masters, at which
Judge Edgar Aldrich presided His as
sociates on the bench were DR.. George
F. Kelly, OF Boston, and Hosea ". Par
ker. OF Claremont, n. II.
The Masters Court convened at Con-
cord on August 10, 1907. and ended the
hearing abruptly one week later. The
end came like a clap OF thunder from q
clear sky when Mr.. Chandler suddenly
withdrew the petition. This was called
the collapse of the next friends" suit
by the Christian Science managers. but
close students of the case put a very
different Interpretation upon Mr.. Chan
dler's action.
settlement with Son.
During the week of trial the plaintiffs
had succeeded in spreading on the rec
ords all the important letters Of Mrs,
Eddy to her son and to her publisher
/ They had also accomplished the safe
guarding OF sS00,0OO the value Of @eeuri-
ties owned by Mrs Eddy, and transferred
by her TO her three trustees. Each trus-
tee had been compelled to give a bond OF
$4,000 to the State of New Hampshire.
Ex-senator Chandler and hts associate
lawyers felt that in accomplishing this
much the next friends suit had served
its full purpose The masters had re-
stricted the scope of testimony bearing
upon Mrs. Eddys mental condition, anc
the plaintiffs recognized the impossibility
OF introducing their evidence. But they
had put the Eddy letters on record and
had safeguarded, practically a million dol
lars of the Eddy fortune. Well satisfied,
they dropped tho suit.
Two years after Mrs Eddy effected
financial compromise with her heirs The
cash price paid in Mrs. Eddy's name Tor
the legal guarantee that there is 10 be no
contest of her will after her death was
$500, 900 In round figures. or this sum
George Glover receives $4,000, part OF II
in the form OF a trust deed and the bal
ance in cash. The remaining SSo,eeo goes
to Ebenezcr ]. Foster-EdGy.
Under the agreement. the trust fund OF
s125, 200 created by Mrs. Eddy for her son
and his children. on February 3, 1907, is
increased TO $l5o.0o0. Glover viii also re-