New-York tribune., 1910-04-26
FINDS ANTESTETSON
FIGHT IN SUICIDE
Death of Miss Marion Stephens
Gscribed to Struggle in Chris
tian Science Church.
GAVE TESTIMONY IN BOSTON
Friends Say She Left Deposed
Leader Several Times, but
Always Returned
TO Her.

Miss Marion stephens. a Christian Sci
enc practitioner and follower OF Mrs
.rgusta r Stetson. committed suicide
iste saturday night at the home Of her
sister. Mrs Eva Weeks. 40. 526 West
,Ilth street by inhaling gas.
though the record Of the case was
sulv entered on police and Coroner's Of
4re bloters. ii was not until yesterday
,snt il became known that Miss Ste
rbens. who was about forty-eight years
ia. had ended her life in any but the
natural way.
Back o. her suicide. according TO her
friends. is "a story Of six years struggle
against The influence Of Mrs. Augusta
z stets1a. whose following almost tore
srsrt the First Church Of Christ. Scien-
IS. IN this city last year. Miss Ste
fbens 1o.nel the First Church through
Mrs. Stetson's influence. about fifteen
wears ago. and Tor nine years was one OF
her closest adherents.
SIX wears ago. however. she began the
frs, attempt 10 break away from Mrs.
stetsor. when. with ". d. McCracken,
she denounced their former leader and
severed her connection with the church
which was under her domination
SIX months after that she was back in
the fol6 again. and apparently Mrs.
S,eis0n forsave her for her denuncia-
ton ana desertion. because Miss Ste
hens soon resumed the close relations
O., former years. she became a practi-
toner under Mrs. Stetsons teaching
a-i later became a member Of the
hossehold. living in the mansion adjoin-
IL the church which the grateful fol-
lowers ~ the local leader erected for
hG
Testified Against Mrs. Stetson.
In the summer Of 1909. when the Bos-
ton directors OF the Christian Science
Church started their investigation Of
Mrs Stetson and "Stetsonism' in the
local church. Miss stephens broke away
again. and went to Boston, where she
testified against her former leader
Miss STEPHENS had been a member OF
Nrs. Stetson's noontime class. the class
a which. il was charged. Mrs. Stetsoa
lsd he- pupils in the pronunciation OF
the death thought" the class at which.
the testimony showed. the M A. NJ"
tuaHcious animal magnetism had been
ezeusd against all Of Mrs Stetsons enc
MES
Later in the year, when the local
cagrch reviewed the testimony taken in
Boston. Miss stephens repeated her tes-
timony against Mrs. Stets0n, thereby
c.Fering from the other former pupils
q. The local leader, who Contradicted in
New York the testimony they had given
ir Boston. From then until January OF
this year Miss stephens remained an
anti Stetsonite. though she WAS in re-
ce.rt of frequent letters from Mrs Stet-
sgr and almost daily communications
from Mrs. Kate \. Remer. Mrs stetson's
oh.et aid.
Dr. January. however. Mrs. Rene:
meeting Miss stephens on the street one
dsv prevailed on her TO go TO see Mrs
etet-sn aE4in. and Miss Stephens started
Cr rla way there she fell down and
broke her leg but when she recovered
sa. nerr 20 Mrs. Stetson and their DIFF
te-eu.e- were again settled up. At that
time lIss stephens went TO the local
l.arl nf trustees and asked leave to
amen. .lr testimony in regard TO Mrs.
S-ste.n. and since then and up 10 about
th--e weeks ago She Was as ardent a
slTn.rrc of Mrs. Stetson as previously
she was an enemy.
Leaves Mrs. Stetson Again.
She lived with Mrs. Catharine p. Gill
par. Is and Mrs Anna A. Holden at the
Ssl Reno until those two adherents Of
Nr- -ret,au were expelled from tie
lo.I .alr,h At that time she made
another .fort TO break away from Mrs
S-.-s... and went % Elmira. where she
visited .urI last Thursday. when she
fetUa.. ta this city and went 20 live
with ler sister. Mrs..Weeks.
Nrs Weeks. although a member II the
First church. has been . consistent
ant.-5,ersHuue. and Miss Stephens told
htr when she arrived last week that she
hid le .leG finally 10 break away from
Ars. Stsfsan.s influence.
II cont break away il viii drive
me ta hI myself" she told her sister
Tile struggle through which the un-
f"'-rats woman passed in the last few
months Has shown bE her letters. II
some af them. appealing 20 Mrs. Eddy
A-rse.f. She cried ror assistance IN fight
llg pr She dreaded Influence 81 per
sonalII.. and one ~ her answers. dated
from Nrs Eddy's Bro0kline home IN
December la.t. brought her a message
- m The founder of the church telling
Aef 2. I.t all personality aside. even the
lerro.a ..fr of The founder Of the Church,
She l-.t that il stood between her
and her PEACE of mind.
Mrs Weeks found bsr sister dead in
De bathroom ~ her aIartment when she
returned from "a meeting late last Satur-
r.1if coroner Feinberg learned
.Aat fnrre was nothing suspicious in the
ol-tl and entered it as a suicide.