The Washington times., 1921-06-05
FLO DOING
PENANCE
|NRETREAT
Former Roof Chicken Finds Sc
clusion in Catholic Home;
Never Ventures Out.

NEW YORK, June 5.-Mrs. Flor
ence Lawlor Leeds, former chorus
girl, who is named in Mrs. Anne
Urquhart Potter Stillman's answer
10 her husbands divorce case, is
now in the care of a community of
Catholic women.
This news was received by q
newspaper here in a letter from one
Of the Catholic womeh, who says
Mrs. Leeds is in tRoroughly re1
pcntant frame Of mind and has suf-
fered much as a result Of pitiless
publicity.
SAYS BABY HELD HER mack.
"Two baby hands pushed Mrs. still
man forward and two baby hands held
me back Mrs Leeds has told q Cstho-
lie priest. the letter says. The writer
asks the world not TO forget that Mrs.
Leeds, as well as Mrs. Stillmsn, IA a
mother.
This disclosure OF the unusual turn
In the affairs of Florence Lswlor
Leeds, and a thirty-six-hour confer
ence of attorneys, resulting, IL wac
hinted, from Mrs. Stillman's refusal
to follow advice of counsel and ac-
cept settlement at the hands OF Mr..
Stillmsn, were the outstanding deyel-
opments in the divorce case yester-
day. Mrs. Stiilmsn's position in re-
fusing to accept settlement terms ap-
proved by John y. StaBchfieid, chief
of her counsel, as noted in a recent
statement, caused the nrm of Stanch-
field 4 Levy and the firm OF CadwaI-
ader, wickershsm q Taft, both 20
threaten yesterday to withdraw from
the case, leaving John r. Brennan, Of
Yonkers. in charge OF Mrs. Stillman's
interests. The conference resulted in
q complete reassisnment Of attorneys
in the case.
Late yesterday, however, Mr.. Bren-
nan succeeded in prevailing upon the
two law firms to remain In the case,
and IL appeared that Mrs. stillmsn
might yet agree to a settlement in
which she is to receive SIS. 900 a year
for her own use, and further financial
concessions in favor OF the children.
The letter received from the Catho-
lie woman welfare worker follows.
The name of a newspaper and GER
tain priest have been deieted.
ITO the Editor of the -:
"In view of the fact that your
paper is-hrst to last the truth
would say the nlthy columns of an
other paper command criticism in re-
gard to the sickenine publication in
q recent issue-adding agony to the
already scorched soul of Florence
Leeds, who has been and Is at pres
ent living in my home community,
since this unfortunate publicity nrst
took place.
NEVER GOES OUTSIDE
"She never ventures outside OF her
immediate grounds, except to attend
the Catholic Church, nearby. or visit
the priest of the parish. who has
taken a keen interest in this cruelty
misjudscd girl. 1t indeed would be
a strain for her to live MP, or rather
down, to the reputation a certain
newspaper has so ungenerousiy tried
to give her
the real tragedy behind this great
In due this young woman for her
superior self control
In the war of the multitude
against the abuse OF motherhood we
have forgotten that she, too, Is a
mother--no matter how-but just
consider that she Is a mother and
add her fearful remark to Father
- Of the parish, Two baby hands
pushed one mother forward, but two
baby hands held me back should
convey her story to the world: and
so out OF Justice to this girl, whose
sincere and strong repentance is
known to tho women OF this com
munity, ask you to publish this
letter--so the world may see these
wild stories concerning her are the
result OF disappointed reporters who
expected her to be ready for their
battalion OF cameras and busy pen
ellis"
The letter was shown to a person
who has been sic~~ 80 hr. Stillmsn's
,fuuaus 49, p., ~n,u~.. A.