The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-02-17
Two Homes Shattered And
Two Lives Are Wrecked
Divorce Proceedings May Be
The Result

Fredericktown has been in the
throes of big sensation during the
past few days that has fairly, rocked
the village from center to circumfer-
ence and which has been the one topic
of discussion on all sides and In all
places. All sorts of stories have been
floating In the air, among them being
a report that an injured husband
would take summary revenge upon the
despoiler of his home, and other re-
ports that actions for damages would
be instituted in the courts. The mat
ter finally came to q head in action
taken at congregational meeting of
the Baptist church at which Rev.
Harley Chaplin, minister of the church,
asked that the name of his wife be
stricken from the membership roll of
the church, the minister stating that
this was done at her own request and
because of improper relations that
had been maintained by herself and
DIR. c. H. Wright of Fredericktown.
The request was granted and at the
same time the name of DIR. Wright
was removed from the membership
roll, 3Ji
Whether the matter will end with
the action taken at the Baptist
church or not is not yet definitely
known. 1t is expected that at least
an action for divorce will be institut-
ed by Rev. Chapin.
The Fredericktown Free Press of
Thursday contains the following ar
ticle in reference to the big scandal:
Fredericktown's sense of propriety
and morality has received a severe
Jolt the past week in the making pub
lie the scandalous relations of
prominent doctor and a preachers
wife.
Although there have been rumors
and suspicious affoat for weeks past,
yet the cloak of charity has been
thrown over most of such reports,
with the hope that the seeming was
not true and that the rumors were
founded simply on envioUsness to
which persons claiming to be leaders
in morality and religious attainments
are always subject.
The public seems now to be In full
possession of all the facts it cares to
know of the clandestine meetings in
the doctors office; \ of the infatuations
pretended, or experiences of nightly
strolls to the dark recesses of the
cemetery; of the schemes to evade
the innocent wife and husband who
believe in the integrity of their life
partner; of late hours away from home
at night followed by deception, at
various times and so on, the enumer-
alton of which no decent newspaper
would think OF printing. o3ets
The facts in the case are altogeth-
er too vile and too abhorent for the
consideration OF decent people. and it
is to be, hoped that this exposure will
DE a warning and will deter, others
who are in the downward path. There
are other reports against other par
ties, but, whether they are the truth.
or simply used to try to mitigate the
present offense against society, is a
problem yet to be solved. There can
be no mitigation against crime that
enters home and destroys it-that
relegates the participants to the scrap
heap of humanity and destroys the
usefulness of the individuals connect
ed therewith-
We may have sorrow for the partici-
pants in such an episode that they
should be so short-sighted and posses
sed of so little OF self control as to
allow themselves to thus break the
law of the land and wreck their own
lives for transitory sensual passions,
that could not possibly have anything