The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-28
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hot tolerate the scandalous conduct Of this
millionaire business man and his friend
Amanda"
And as to Shonts and the sermon of
eulogy at his funeral DR.. Straton says:
"All of these facts about him and his
life were Of necessity known In the high
social and business circles Of this city, and
yet nothing was done about It.
mo club expelled him. no church took
any notice OF these notorious wrongs. and
even In connection with the funeral no
moral lesson was drawn by preacher or
press, but q eulogy was pronounced be-
cause Of his large business services to the
community"
And here Is another curious episode con-
nected with the funeral Of President
Shonts. Shonts seems not to have been
affiliated with any church in New York,
and neither was Mrs. Thomas. The near
eSt Approach to . church connection ap-
pears to be the fact that Mrs. Thomas
made her boy Herbert attend the Sunday
school Of the Brick Presbyterian Church,
on Fifth avenue and Thirty-seventh street.
50 when Shonts died the question
arose-Where shall the funeral be held:
The slender thread that tied the pair to
the church world-Herbert's Sunday
scnool-naturaliy suggested that the fu-
neral be held at this church.
There are two pastors at the Brick Pres
byterian Church. Rev. DR.. William Pierson
Merrill and Mr.. Theodore Ainsworth
Greene. Neither Of them knew Shonts or
Mrs. Thomas; both were away on their
Summer vacations when Shonts died.
Here was q dilemma. Should Mrs.
Thomas send for one of the pastors Of the
church to preach the funeral sermon? But
what II he knew all about Shontss life
with Amanda? She ran the risk Of pain
full snub.
But the resourceful old friend and coun-
cillor. Delaney Nicoll, arose to the emer-
gency. He knew q distinguished clergy.
man who would probably conduct the SER
vice-the rather elderly DR.. Howard Duff
field, pastor emeritus Of the First Presby.
terrain Church. So Nicoll got hold of DR..
Duffield and fixed It up. DR.. Duffield is
full Of years and wisdom, and he was not
to be caught in any trap to use his distin-
guished name and standing to glorify the
tainted reputation of Shonts.
II had An understanding with Delaney
Nicoll," said Dr. Duffield, "that positively
was not to preach a sermon or deliver a
eulogy. spoke a few words about Mr..
Shonts's Panama Canal work and other
public service.
Syman raised voice in protest against
Shonts and his conduct with Mrs Thomas.
II IL true that DR.. Dufiield did not raise his
voice to denounce or even mention Shonts's
private life.
And what little was said at that funeral
service on that September day last Fall
was not heard by Mrs. Thomas Mrs.
Thomas ran the funeral-she and Nicoll
and Berwind attended to everything and
utterly ignored the widow and children.
But one thing they dared not risk-a pub
lie explosion II Mrs. Shonts, the widow,
should meet the Thomas woman at the
funeral For once Mrs. Thomas shrank
hto.th background and allowed the widow
to have her way-and. anyhow, Amanda
had the Shonts fortune in her pocket; let
the penniless widow 90 to the service and
"the woman In the case" with the will
In her stocking, could afford to stay away.
Mrs. Shonts has already told OF the fu-
moral in her own words, which may be re-
heated here briefly:
'Mr. Shonts had died, they told me, early
Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon Mr..
Francis Hamilton, a lawyer, called at the
APARTMENT and asked me II I would care
to attend the funeral. He said Mr.. Nicoll
sent him. said at once that would, OF
course, wish to attend my husbands fu-
neral, but that I could not attend IL Mrs.
Thomas were allowed In the church dur
.ins the ceremony. Mr.. Hamilton said that
he could not say anything as to that then,
but would learn II that could be arranged,
and let me know.
"He came back Monday and said that
Mr.. Nicoll had agreed that Mrs. Thomas
would not be in the church II I would at
tend then said that with that under
standing I would 90, but I warned Mr..
Hamilton that II at any time during the
funeral ceremony I saw Mrs. Thomas enter
the church or stand conspicuously In the