Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-23
DENIES HER PASTOR
Mrs. Lavender Rises in Court
and Cries ''It's Not True!"
WEEPS AS HE TESTIFIES
Accused by Chicago Minister Of I'm.
proprieties, She Is Suing
Him for SANDER.

CHICAGO, June 8.-Yesterday was q
day Of tears and trouble for Mrs. Mary A
Lavender. who is suing the Rev. DR.. Ed
ward B. Crawford. pastor OF the Wood
lawn Methodist Episcopal Church. fol
$4,000 for alleged SANDER. DIR. Crawford
took the stand in his own defense and toid
some things about Mrs. Lavender and the
Rev. DIR. John D. Leek. Twice during the
minister's examination she shook her head
at the witness and wept. Once she arose
In wrath and challenged his veraeity.
OF letter from Or. Leek, which he
said Mrs. Lavender had shown to him.
DR.. Crawford said:
LAS nearly as l can remember the let
ter ran something like this: You have
ruined me and driven me from the minis
try: If you had to tell ANYBODY. had
rather you had told anybody else in the
Rock River Conference than DIR. Craw-
ford. In SO doing you have violated an
agreement which we made that neither
should tell OF our relations without first
Crawford? Why didn't you come to me:
In spite Of what you have done, though il
drives q dagger into my heart. I shall
love you just the same"
Like a Confession.
Crawford, 'she came to my home and
said: If was a member of. the Catholic
Church and you were priest. this would
be a confession. I am not the woman
you have taken me to be. ! have prom
lapse Of Christian spirit advised her
TO study the Bible. to pray and to follow
the light.
ION January H. 1909. she assured me
that her relations with DR.. Leek were
proper. On January JIG she came to me
a nd S4VAYaI
hoods. am an unfortunate woman. My
relations with DR.. Leek have not been
proper. The worst year was the one be-
fore DIR. Leek left the Woodiawn Church.
she was asked: DO you wish 1t under
stood that for Ave years your relations
with DR.. Leek have been indiscreet? She
replied: Yes Mrs. Lavender asked il
she oasht to make as Sx to the
Then. Tuesday, after that meeting. she
asked IL she should tell her husband. and
told her that that question was for her
to answer. l asked her IL she had told
she had done So Mrs. Lavender advised
me to see DR.. Leek and arranged a
meeting with the latter at the Palmer
House. We met there and said: DIR.
Leek. am profoundly sorry for what
has occurred and he answered: I I'M
derstand from Mrs. Lavender that we
have been sworn to secrecy. and / want
to make a clean breast Of the whole
affair ! told him I had no such under
standing and refused to hear his CON-
fession.
Husband Got Her Letter.
Mrs Lavender came to me later for
advice. She did not want TO tell her
husband. She said that her husband did
not love her. / asked her why. and she
said: Last spring when ! was down east
wrote a letter to DR.. Leek and ad-
dressed it General Delivery. had my
address upon II and when the letter was
not called for II was sent to my home.
My husband opened 1t and read 1t. and
when / returned there was a scene"
On cross-examination he said he had
seen enough to convince him that the re-
lations between Mrs. Lavender and the
Rev DR.. Leek were not proper.
Tell US one act" shouted Mrs. Laven-
der's attorney.
During the oRck River Conference at
our church / saw them sitting In what
would call lovers position
Mrs. Lavender covered her face with
her hands and then. rising, said:
TT IL not SO. It IL not true!''
What sort OF . position was thatr'
continued the attorney.
They were sitting close toðer. very
close. holding hands,
'At the Dies PLANES camp meeting
saw them under Q. tree holding banda
Mrs Lavender took the stand later and
denied categorically every statement made
by DR.. Crawford.