New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-05-21
Citizenship Is
Denied Irvine
As Imno oral
Pastor of First M. E. Church,
Richmond Hill, Queens,
Resigns ON Demand Two
Days Before Court Action
CongregationLoy toHim
Crusader Confronted With
Afhdavits Relating Con.
duct With Four Women

Supreme Court Justice Lewis L. Faw-
cett, in Long Island City, yesterday de-
MED the application for citizenship of
David Duncan Irvine, who until two
days ago was pastor of the First Meth
odist Episcopal Church of Richmond
Hill, Queens, on the ground that Irvine
was an mineral character.
Apparently ignorant of the petition
er's resignation from his church at the
request of the Rev. DIR. A. s: Kava-
naugh, district superintendent, Judge
Fawcett said in rejecting the applica-
tion that he would like to see Irvine
unfrocked. He then enjoined Irvine
from renewing his appeal before him,
and appeared pleased when Wallace E.
j. Collins, Assistant District Attorney,
announced that the Department of Jus
tice would try to have Irvine deported.
The former clergyman, who is a
British subject, was not in court when
Merton E. Sturgis, chief examiner of
the New York Bureau of Naturalizn-
tion, Department of Labor, moved
that the application be rejected, after
he had presented afidavits which he
said were the product of investigation
in four states where Irvine has held
pastorates.
Four Women Involved
Mr.. Sturgis said that Irvine had
admitted the truth of the contents of
afidavits relating his relations with
at least four women.
Mr.. Sturgis said after the court pro-
cedure that Irvine had denied all of
the charges against him until he was
confronted with absolute proof, and
then, holding up his hands, had cried:
you've got me right on this; I'll quit"
Last night Irvine would not discuss
his position or answer questions. He
seemed quite calm.
Irvine's former congregation re-
NAMED loyal yesterday, and had no
idea that he was not still their pastor
Wesley Half, of 11610 Eighty ninth
Avenue, Richmond Hill, insisted that
Irvine was innocent and would be sup
ported to the limit by the 600 members
of the church.
Mr.. Half and the other officers of
the church did not know that ON in
formation from the authorities DR..
Kavanaugh had summoned Irvine to
his Office and that he the pastor imme-
diately had resigned This was re-
lated only last night by DIR. Kava-
naugh, who said that when he took
this step he did not know there would
be any court action.
Noted for Attacks on immortality
Irvine was born in Bangor, Ireland,
and entered the United States in 1907.
AS a pastor in churches at Bay Shore
and Borough Park L. l.; Mt. Vernon,
N. Y; Waterbury, Conn, and in Rich
mond Hill, he was noted for his at
tacks on all suspected of moral lax
tiles.
In Bay Shore he disguised himself as
cabaret habitue and frequented sew
eral resorts, feigning intoxication, buy
ing drinks for girls. On the material
ne gathered he prepared a sermon
eriticising the proprietors and in
formed them that he would preach it
unless. they obeyed the law. They
obeyed.
In arraigning the dance he said "I
am afraid of no men and very few
women" This sermon was entitled
"Salome; or, Drink, Dance and the
Devil" More recently Irvine has been
the center of religious dissension and
has been accused by the Rev. Thomas
A. Nummey, pastor Of the Roman
Catholic Church of the Holy Child
Jesus, Richmond Hill, of slandering the
Roman Catholic Church and melting
religious strife.