The New York herald., 1921-05-21
VICE CHARGE BARS
PASTOR AS CITIZEN
Rev. David ID. Irvine Named
i'm Affidavits Of Several
Young Women.
QUITS THE MINISTRY
QUITS THE MINISTRY
Investigation by Naturali-
zatiOn Bureau Carried
Through 4 States.
KNOWN AS VICE CRUSADER
Has Been Resident of United
States Since 1918-May
BE Deported.

On the ground of his immortality,
citizenship in the United States was
denied yesterday to the Rev. David
Duncan Irvine, pastor of the First
Methodist Episcopal Church OF Rich
mond Hill, Borough Of Queens.
at is unfortunate" said Justice
Lewis NJ. Fawcett In the Supreme
Court in Long Island City. after ex-
amining the affidavits OF several young
women, presented by Merton E.
Sturges, chief examiner in New York
of the Bureau OF Naturalization. that
this minister is not unfrocked.-
A fact OF which both the Justice and
the clergyman's parishioners were un-
aware was that that already had been
done On Wednesday last Mr.. Irvine,
In the presence of DR.. A. S. Kavanagh,
district superintendent of the New
York Eastern conference OF the
church. voluntarily turned in his eccle-
siastical parchments and withdrew
from the Methodist ministry.
Deportation Considered.
In court yesterday Wallace T.. j. Col
iins. Assistant United States Attorney.
told Justice Fawcett that there could
be no criminal prosecution because Of
the statute OF limitations. but that the
Department Of Justice was looking up
the laws and precedents to see whether
Mr.. Irvine could be deported.
Mr.. Sturgis SAID that the conclusive
evidence In mis- hands was the result
Of the young women swore that Mr..
Irvine established intimate relations
with her when she was in her early
teens when he was pastor of the Metho-
which her parents we're members. JUS
tice Fawce.t cid not take down the
names and addresses OF the affidavits.
Il enjoined Mr.. Sturgis.' he said after
giving his d dscision, from making pub
liz the affidavils or the names OF the
young women. for ! wanted to protect
them and their families. However, this
man is hypocrite in the pulpit and
he had great influence by reason OF
his cloak of office behind which ne
had been hiding and shielding his
crimes. I had statements which proved
the charges beyond a doubt There
IL no denial in the record or as part
" the Investigation. 1t is unfortunate
that such a circumstance should have
happened because II skaters the ideals
or those who look up to and venerate
members of the clergy
from applying again for citizenship.
Neither the minister nor his naturaliza-
tion witnesses, Wesley Haff OF 116l0
Eighty-ninth street, Richmond Hill. and
Irving w. Tuthill OF S90S Church street
were In court. Mr.. Irvine said later he
had understood his application was not
to come UP yesterday. Otherwise his only
word was II have nothing to say" He
lives at 1917 Church street, Richmond
Hill. with his wife and their only child,
daughter about IL years old. He
spent most Of yesterday In an office in
New York. Mrs. Irvine. an attractive
woman in her thirties, readily gave his
telephone number when reporters called
early In the afternoon. Apparently she
had no inkling OF what had befallen her
husband. Later she said he had gone
to New Jersey and would not return
until next week.
Crusader Against Vice.
Some OF the offences charged against
the pastor are alleged to have been COM
mitted In his own study One OF the
women speaks also of two visits 10 hotels
in Manhattan and OF a visit TO Jersey
City. None of the women lives in Rich
mond Hill The charges all antedate
Mr.. Irvines advent In that village.
Mr.. Irvine is 40 years old and has
been In the public eye a good deal. He
has been stern crusader against vice,
and when he was pastor at Bay Shore he
put on false whiskers and sporty clothes
and by watching personally the goings
on in cabaret restaurants of that lively
summer town got evidence which COM
uelled the owners TO eliminate girls
/ from their shows. He has also held
pastorates In Borough Park and Mount
Vernon and in Waterbury Conn. In the
course OF his four years In Richmond
Hill he has accumulated such a loyal
| following that even now some OF his
people will not hear the breath Of
word against him.
ON behalf of the church" Or. Kava-
nagh said last night, I'VE accepted his
parchments and withdrawal from the
\ ministry. That was on Wednesday last,
before the court had taken any action
and when we did not know whether
/ there was to be any action"