The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-10-27

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Mrs George p. Robinson of Detroit,
Wife of Millionaire, Who Has Been
sued by Topeka Woman.
In April, 1910, there was still near
" $500 due the Kansas corporation.
At the meeting held that month, Mrs.
Knostman did not attend and Mrs.
Smith, as secretary, could not sign a
receipt for the money and release
Jackson from his obligation More
trouble. The matter was deferred un-
til the return of the secretary and the
| election of a new president.
Here the friends of the Kansas con-
ference made a loud noise and de-
manded the money They threatened
to sue the officers of the new cOrpOr-
alton and Mrs. Cope was the victim of
the attacks. No amount of explana-
ton seemed to satisfy and finally suit
was filed in the Shawnee county
courts against Mrs. Cope and officers
of the corporation, in which they de-
manded possession of the entire $1O,
600 This suit was brought BY Mrs.
Edwin Locke, Mrs. S. S Beggs and
Mrs. H A. Heath, all Topeka women
and is on the docket for trial at this
term of court.
Still the troubled waters were not
quleted and when the Kansas confer
ence was held in Abilene last spring
Bishop David R. Moore, of Cincinnati
wrote letter to Mrs. Robinson that
eventually laid grounds for the big
disturbance in the national camp and
the filing of the sensational libel
suit. The trustees of the Kansas corr
pOratiOn had tried to explain that
they could not return the money to
the old society and had laid the mat
ter before committee composed of
Bishop Moore, Bishop Charles W.
Smith, of Portland, Ore: and Mrs
Robinson OF Detroit Mrs. Robinson
was president Of the national foreign
missionary society and her attitude
against Mrs. Cope was hostile She
had enlisted the sym pathy of Bishop
Moore, while Bishop Smith showed
kindly feeling toward Mrs Cope and
believed her efforts should be COM
mended- This difference of opinion
among members of the committee
didn't help matters a bit. Standing
two to one against Mrs. Cope and her
friends, the officers of the state cor
poration were not given hearing in
the Abilene conference.
Bishop MOOre's Letter.
It was while in Abilene that Bishop
Moore wrote to Mrs. Robinson, in
part as follows:
Ny Dear Mrs Robinson:
It is Friday and Mrs Cope has not ap-
peared. I have carefully gone over all
the papers, conferred with the Cabinet
and with Mrs. Knostman and the Of
fice-s of the Auxiliary, and pondered the /
situation I think you will never see a |
cent Of the bequest and a dangerous |
precedent will be established unless you |
energetically sustain the Kansas Aux |
iliary in pushing the matter to a legal |
No society unauthorized by the church.
however Incorporated can rightfully sup /
plant your Auxiliary. This the Cope |
society has undertaken so to do; however |
plausible and gracious, this it means to
do and this only
fact that Mrs Cope-apart from this
holds official relation to your society-is |
appointed to some function of your So
ciety. Thus she is enabled to pose as an /
official and to disturb and distract the I
work of your regular organization.
She should be relieved of all such reIa- |
tions at the earliest possible moment
AS to the bequest-nothing comes of all /
her promises, nothing will, in my judg-
ment
Mr.. Jackson, while seeming to act for
her, has set on the heirs to bring suit for
the property You gre Juggled, tr1cked
sincereIv DAVID H. MOORE
P. S. VIII return the papers after
bishops meeting
This letter furnished material for
fight on Mrs. Cope and the Detroit
woman seems to have made the most
Of the situation. She is charged with
extracts from the letter
among prominent workers in the Tor
eign missionary society and Mrs.
Cope's record as a worker was bsing
put on the rack and her character was
by the tone of the letters
Mrs. Cope at wichita.
Then came the Wichita convention.
All of the eighteen members of the ma
tOnal executive committee had re-
ceived the letters from Mrs. Robinson.
At the meeting Mrs. Cope's record was
again put on the gridiron and the To-
peka woman wired the board last Fri
day asking for personal hearing. She
received word that hearing would be
given at 1 O'Clock Wednesday after
noon. Mrs Cope, accompanied by her
husband, Frank NJ. Cope, an attorney
and several witnesses went to Wichita
TO explain the situation Mrs. Robin
son refused to attend the hearing She
refused to grant the Topeka woman a
personal interview or to discuss an d d.
lustment of the differences that we're
the big meeting. BY vote of 5 20 8,
it is said that the board urged Mrs.
Robinson to do something to quell the
row that by this time threatened to
cause a split among the delegates. No
results. Then came the libel suit,
which was filed late Thursday evening.
The convention delegates left the
Peerless Princess today greatly per
picked and much worried over the
They are beginning to real
lze that they have permitted the start
Ing of a row in their ranks that is of
national Importance to the officers and
members and the breach may not be
brldged for many months. Mrs Cope
at her home. sos Harrison street. was
today emphatic in her demand for a
justification of her position She has
demanded hearing before the nation
al board of bishops, which viii be held ,
November 1. in Oklahoma City: and