The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-27
LARGE DEATH LIST
SCARES SOME
OF CIRCLE
Strange List Of Fatalities
Among Christian Scientists
MRS. STETSON'S FOLLOWERS
Nearly Dozen Gone, Including
Three Suicides, During Past Six
Months

NOW 1 VI NJ Apln 81 hN AhhNA
circle of Christian Scientists OF which
Mrs. Augusta e. Stetson, the excom-
municated leader of the First Church
of Christ, Scientist. was the center,
has been greatly depleted by death
in the last few months.
The suicide on Saturday of Miss
Marion Stephens who according to
her friends, was firm in the belief
that she was victim of the socalled
death thought" exerted by some en-
envy has set Christian Scientists talk
ing about nearly dozen members of
the inner circle who have died since
last summer, when the machinery of
the Mother Church In Boston was set
in motion to break the growing lnhu-
ence OF Mrs. Stetson here.
The roll Of death In the ranks of
Mrs. Stetson's former students in
cludes three suicides. and in each in
stance. II is said the victims of self
destruction have been obsessed with
the belief that some powerful mental
influence urged them to end their
lives. The first of the inner circle
to die by his own act was Henry Pen
nington Toler, who committed suicide
during the winter by plunging into
the East river, after having escaped
from the asylum on Wards Island.
Next came the death OF Mrs. Lolita
Phillips, who, according to the tabu-
lation OF the anti-Stetson Scientists,
ended her life in an asylum not far
from New York about a month ago.
She was at one time close TO Mrs
Stetson, but is said TO have broken
away q short time before her death
She used to live in West Ninety.sixth
street. not far from Mrs. Stetsons
home
The third suicide was that OF Miss
stephens recorded yesterday.
Deaths within the ranks of Mrs.
Stetson's former students and inti-
mates OF her household began in the
summer, when Miss Laura Lyman
died at Rye, n. Y. She studied under
Mrs. Stetson, and absorbed much Of
the teachings which were condemned
by the Board of Directors of the
Mother Church when Mrs. Stetson
was tried on charges Of mental NAL
practice.
About two years ago Miss Lyman
broke away from the Stetson fold and
went abroad. But she returned in
the spring OF 1909 In falling health.
She often spoke to her friends of be
ing oppressed with the conviction
that some disturbing influence was
being directed against her. She went
10 Rye to seek new associations and
died there
Soon after Mrs. Stetson returned
from Boston. where she was put
through a grilling investigation by
the Mother Church Directors, another
member OF her inner circle died. He
was Robert VanArsdale, owner OF the
American Engineering and Railroad
Journal. He had been one OF Mrs
Stetson's closest friends and advis-
ers.
Miss Sarah Drumm, at one time
lproprietress OF the Drumm School I'm
West Seventy-second street, died
early this year She. too. was close
to Mrs. Stetson, and studied Chris
tian Science under her. Miss Drumm
had closed her school several months
before she died. One OF her teach
ers. Miss Farine, who for many years
taught French. and was also a follow
er OF Mrs. Stetson died shortly after
ward at Paterson. n. J.
Carol Norton was killed by a street
car In Chicago. Regarding his death
Mrs. Maude Nissan Babcock, a Chris
tian Science healer. once member
OF the Stetson inner circle. who later
turned against the communicated
leader, had this to say yesterday:
Mr.. Norton went to Chicago to es
cape the tortue OF the conflict be
tween Mrs. Stetson's influence ant
that OF the true faith. Wandering
around, distracted. he was killed In {
street car accident. Never will for
get how Mrs. Stetson received tina
news. She turned as white as {
sheet and cried:
"God grant that Carol does no
haunt me for that
Mrs. BabcoCk also told OF the ex
perience OF Mrs. Linda Dietz, at on,
time a student OF Mrs. Stetson.
Mrs. Dletz went TO Albany ant
started Christian Science Church.
said Mrs Babcock Mrs. Stetsoi
} assumed that the ct"rch was to b
under her influence. She though
she could do anything with those o
us who were devoted to her. Mrs
Dietz had separated from her hus
band She went mad In Albany afte
a quarrel with Mrs Sietson and wal
for months in sanitarium before shl
lrecnverod."