s5 ‘ ' - ‘ _,
'- .« WEEKLY «sawing ‘- a
AV! E ATE}
I REV. ARTHUR’S TROUBLES
SGATIIING DENIIIIGIATIOH FROM TIIE SUPEBIHTEIDENI
-. ,‘ -2..~< .- .
0F All INDIANA GIIIIBBII. J
SAID PARSON’S PLACE WAS BEHIND BARS.
MISS ALICE FITCH TESTIFIES THAT HER PASTOR
STATED THATTHE REFUSAL TO LET HER VOTE
WAS ON ACCOUNT OF HER UGLINESS.
Yesterday was the date set fort -he
ex-parte council of the pastors and del-
egates of the Congregational churches
of Fairlield county, to take action on
certain grave charges made by ‘32 mem-
bers of the Norfield church in letters
missive and drawn under date of Jan.
1,-1898, against their pastor-,Rev. C. M.
Arthur.
Mr. Arthur was called to the charge
of the church by Board of Trustees,
July 9, 1896, for an indefinite period
with the understanding that he could
be dismissed on three months notice.
Trouble began almost immediately
and soon it was charged that the pastor
had stirred up the dissensions th , on
became rife, in the church. Mr. Ar-
thur had made many friends, and about
half of the congregation sided with
him. Things became very lively and
many of the opponents of M r. Arthur
ceased to attend services. The trouble
culminated early in November last
when Mrs. Julia E. Lane one of the
most highly respected residents of the
town and a lady of great refinement
was excommunicated. This caused
intense feeling and when her son
Frank B. Lane and the other trustees
of the church handed the warning of
the annual meeting to the clerk to be
held on Dec. 3, the clerk changed the
wording and made the date December
17.
Before that time (on December 8)
those of the church members friendly
to Mr. Arthur met and adopted a new
constitution, which prohibited those
not regular worshipers at the church
from voting at the regular meeting.
At the annual meeting on December
17, the pastor assumed the rights of
moderator and prevented any but those
favorable to himself from _ voting.
Threats of assault and expulsion were
freely used. December 27, an ex-parte
council called by the friends of the
Lanes, was denied admission to the
church for this meeting which was
held in the town house near by.
Mrs. Lane. was reinstated by the
' council and resolutions highly favor-
able to her were adopted.
January 5, 1898, the Arthur faction
called a special meeting and voted
against the calling of a ministerial
council to consider the troubles in the
church.
The letters missive for yesterday’s
c0unc‘il was signed by Edward H. Fur-
guson and Mabel P. Fitch, and set forth
that the NorfieldCongregational church
in Weston was in a state of uneasiness
and distress, owing to discontent and
dissatisfaction with Mr. C. M. Arthur,
the pastor. The complaint was signed
by 32 members of the church and con
tained the following five counts:
' lst. That when Mr. C. M. ' Arthur
came as a candidate to this church in
1896, he misrepresented to the mem-
bers and officers thereof his ministerial
standing, alleging for the reason for
the absence of his name from the year
book, a period of illness, and making
no mention of the real reason, to wit,
his expulsion from the Olivet associa-
tion. '
2. That his conduct while pastor of
this church has been tyranical towards
members of the church, that‘ in a so
calltd parish meeting, Dec. 17, 1897.
in declaring himself moderator, con-
trary to the custom of the church, that
he by threats of forcible ejectmcnt, of
arrest and fine, intimidated members
from voting, and having reduced the
number of members allowed to vote to I
about half the members. present, he
held an election of officers.
3. That the above election was said
to have been held in accordance with,
a constitution adopted Dec. 8, 1897
which is contrary in its provisions and
regulations to Congregational usage
" and law.
4. That Min. Arthur’s conversation
and demeanor among the people of the
congregation and neighborhood has
beenacorrupting and immoral influ-
ence upon the young and a source of
gossip and scandal.
5. We are credibly informed that in
former pastorals held by Mr. Arthur,
there has been in almost every case
. trouble similar to that which is now
crippling the effihacy of this church.
The church building was closed again
yesterday and the meeting was again
called to order in the town house at
10:50. Rev. Mr. Luther was elected
clerk, Dr. C. R. Palmer of New Haven,
moderator, and Judge M. B. Beardsley
of Bridgeport, assistant moderator.
The following pastors and delegates
adswered roll call:
Charles Ray Palmer, New Haven,
moderator. '
Bridgeport—First church, Rev. J chn
De Peu, pastor; Morris B. Beardsley,
delegate. Second church, Rev. Frank
Russell, pastor; E. F. Strong, delegate.
Danbury—First church, Rev. Albert
F. Pierce, pastor; M. P. Reynolds, del-
egate. .
Brookfield—Rev C. W. Francis, pas-
tor; A. H. Taylor, delegate.
VVilton—Rev. Vt". D. Hart, pastor;
F. D. Benedict, delegate.
Westport Rev. Jabez Backus, pas-
tor.
Southport Rev. W'. H. Holman, pas-
tor.
Fairfield—Rev. F. S. Child, pastor;
A. P. Wakeman, delegate.
Norwalk—Rev. T. K. Noble, pastor;
George B. St. John, delegate.
South Norwalk—Rev. G. H. Beard.
pastor.
Bedding—Rev. C. F. Luther, pastor;
H. S. Osborn, delegate. ‘
Greenwich—Rev. D. C.
pastor; G. H. Ferris, delegate.
Judge H. W. Gregory of Norwalk,
Eggleston,
appeared as the legal representative of
Mr. Arthur and certain members of
the church and presented a protest
against the meeting of the council,
which after some debate was entered
upon the minutes. A somewhat lively
debate followed between the attorney
and several members of the council,
the moderator finally informing. him
that his case would not be heard fur-
ther until the appellants had presented
Mr. Gregory then left the
hall and did not return.
their case.
Testimony was then taken from sev-
eral members of the church under
One of the counts and which was fully
substantiated.
The first excitement was caused by
Miss Annie Fitch, who stated that
when she asked why she was not al-
lowed to vote at the Dec. 17 meeting,
the pastor replied: “On account of
your ugliness; [ guess there is no other
reason.”
Ephraim Fitch said that Mr. Allen,
the teller, h? attempted to eject him
from the church but “was not big e-
nough.”
Mr. Allen then charged that Mr.
Fitch and his sons were very drunk on
the night in question and were making
a disturbance.
“That’s a d———n lie,” shouted Rufus
K. Fitch, one of the sons.
Lively talk by several in the audi~
ence followed and the chairman for the
Only time during the meeting was com-
pelled to rap for order.
Recess was ‘ taken and the ladies
treated all present to a famous lunch eon.
The fifth int was tak .;
p0 en up aftei . tween them and the citizens served. It
recess, anda committee was sent re-
questing Mr. Arthur or his counsel to
be present. Mr. Arthur sent a formal
declination. ‘
The chief facts in Mr. Arthur’s l
reer in the past 10 years was then re:
viewed by Mr. Francis, 3. member of
the council from Brockficld. It was
proven by letters from many of his for-
mer charges in Nebraska, Kansas and
Michigan that his life was far from
ministerial. He secured a divorce from
his first wife in Wisconsin in 1887 and
was dropped from the M. E. church of
that state soon after for marrying
again while his first wife was living.
Many letters were read, all charging
Mr. Arthur with sinful acts, Mr.
Francis stating that there was literally
bushels of similar tenor which had been
received.
I. R. Ladd, superintendent of the
church at Bremen, Ind.,of which Mr.
Arthur at one time had charge, was
scathing in his denunciations, using
the terms “personal demon,” “general
loafer,” “deep dyed scoundrel,” and
that “his place was behfnd the prison
bars.” Many ‘ of similar tenor were
then read.
Count fourth, which had been saved
for the last, in which Mr. Arthur’s im-
moral language was alleged, was then
brought up.
Many witnesses testified to this fact.
Much of the testimony was refused in
open session and was told in executive
session. It was of the vilest descrip-
tion, Rev. Mr. Luther of Bedding, one _'
of the council, stating that he had
heard Mr. Arthur use language “un-
worthy of the frequenter of the lowest
bar-rooms. ”
The council then conferred together
and shortly announced that a unani-
mous decission had been reached, but
that it would not be made public until
Monday next, when it would be an-
nounced at the Congregational church,
South Nor-walk, at 3 p. m.
The meeting then adjourned.
Several of the members of the c0un~
cil Stated to your correspondent after
the meeting that the evidence was all
against Mr. Arthur, and said that more
care should be taken in the admission
of ministers to the 'church without
more careful examination of the cre‘
dentials. All the friends of Mr. and
Mrs. Lane were in high spirits over
what they consider a complete vindica-
tion.
V “
CONSUL ASHBY DROWNED
Colon Advices Say Six Other Men “'ere
Lost \Vith Him.
Colon, Colombia. Jan. 18.——A boating
party, consisting of the United States
Consul, Mr. \V. \V. Ashley, Dr. Hafe-
man, the German Consul; Master Me—
' :hanic Mott and four others, are sup-
oosed to have been drowned. The bbdy
9f the boatman has already been re-
:overed.
Washington. Jan. 18.—Consul General
}ugdeon, at Panama, cabled the State
Department announcing the drowning
of William W. Ashby, United States
Consul at Colon. No details were giv—
en. Ashby was appointed to office only
a. few months ago, and had been well
known in this city and in Virginia as
a newspaper man. He was connected
with 3. Norfolk, Va., paper.
A press dispatch states that six
)thers were drowned with him. but the
State Department’s cable contains no
reference to the other persons in the
scat with him.
“'oman Borgia to Die.
Montreal, Jan. 18,—The Governor-
‘Eeneral has refused to interfere in the
case of Mrs. Olive Adele Sternaman,
:he murderess of two husbands. and
she will die on Thursday. The woman
is one of the coldest-blooded murder-
esses in the annals of canada. She
killed her husbands in orderxto secure
ghe insurance on their lives. They loved
her passionately- and each, as he was
lying, from poison, passed away with
words of love for her on his lips.
Rumor of Accident to Klondike Steamship
Seattle. \Vash., Jan. 18.—lt is rumor-
ed here that the steamer City of Seattle
Ias gone ashoreat some point on the
route to Alaska.
:onfirm the report or to discover its
n‘iirin. .
The City of Seattle sailed from here
ast chnealay for Skagua and Dyea
.vitli 550 passengers and 600 tons of
'reiglit. ’
Popular Election of Senators.
Richmond, Va., Jan. 17.—-A bill has
seen introduced in the Virginia House
of Delegates to permit the people to
express a preference for United States
Senator at the same time they vote for
members of the Legislature- The bill
Is in line with the popular demand,
and is an echo of the contest in the
State Lemocratic Convention, when
Congressman W. A. Jones offered a
resolution/with similar aims. ‘
Bill to Revive Penny Post System.
Washington, Jan. 19.—The House
Committee on Post Offices has made
a favorable report on the l‘perry bill
for rural free delivery. This project
differs from the general rural free de-
livery proposition, in that it depends
on the petitioning of one or more per-
sons for each town, and the compensa-
tion of the carriers or collectors is to
be derived from private agreements be-
Is like the old penny post sy'stem.
Engineers Give In.
n. Jan. 17.—The Official Engl-
mint Committee has informed
,r,.luyers' Federation or the with-
2’ on behalf of.,the,men. of the
“glut-hour demand. ' '
.-
It is impossible to-
DMOLE'S coon; RECEPTION.
(0 Representative of Government to
Welcome the Hawaiian President.
San Francisco, J an.'18.—W hen Presi-
lent Dole, of Hawaii, landed from t is
steamship Peru yesterday he was not
received with the ceremony befitting
she ruler of a foreign country. The
Peru had been held in quarantine al;
night. When she docked y.s';erd 1:;
President Dole was greeted by the Haw
waiian Consul and a few friends, but
there were no representatives of the
United States Government to formally
welcome him.
The customs officials passed the bag-
gage of the President and his Iamily
without inspection, and that was all
sxxnonn B. now.
:he especial courtesy shown him. No
.alute was fired by any of the forts
tround the bay.
In an interview Mr. Dole said:
” I do not come to Hit: United States
.0 work for annexation. I am merely
in a friendly visit to this country and
ts President. I expect to remain in
San Francisco three or four days, when
l will start for Washington and will
here call upon President McKinley.
“It is thought by the Hawaiian Gov-
ernment that during the consideration
if the annexation treaty I had better
96 in Washington and advise the Ha-
waiian Legation on certain matters. It
s not my intention to make any argu-
nent or do any lobbying for annexation.
31' course, if 1 am called upon by the
LTnited States Government to give in-
‘ormation I will readily do so. I am
tlso interested 1n the form of govern-
nent to be adopted for Hawaii in case
)f annexation.”
Spain Blocking Relief.
Washington, éan. 18.—The State De-
partment has taken official notice of
romplaints alleging that the Spanish
officials in Cuba had been placing ob-
stacles in the way of the free admis—
sion of food and-other supplies sent to
Cuba. for the relief of the suffering.
While the officials believe that there
is no solid foundation for these com—
plaints, a. cablegram has been sent to
30nsu1-General Lee directing him to in-
vestigate their correctness and, if nec-
essary, prevent any delays in the land-
.ng and admission of shipments of
stores, if it be possible to do so.
Baltimore Wants to Name the Senator.
Annapolis,, Jan. 18.—The Legislature
will begin to-day to ballot for the elec-
:ion of a United States Senator to sue-
ceed Arthur P. Gorman. The candi—
iates are Judge McComas, Congress-
nan Sydney Mudd, Alexander Shaw
Ind Thomas J. Shryock. The last
named is State Treasurer. The Re-
publicans have sixty-seven votes on
'ioint ballot, eight more than are re-
auired to elect the Serfitor, there being
l1? members in both houses.
Gen. Clay’s Wife Leaves Him.
Lexington, Ky., Jan. 18.-——Dora Rich-
ardson Clay did not remain with her
husband at Whitehall Sunday, but re-
turned with her brother to her sister’s
home shortly after dark. The meeting
between General Clay and his wife is,
said to have been arranged, and it is
believed that both of them agreed to
further separation. General Clay will
pay his wife’s board at the home of her
brother-in-law, Roy Kelley, near Val-
levView.
Boy Murderer Held.
Philadelphia, Jan. 18.4—Samuel Hen-
derson, the boy, fifteen years old, who
ls charged with the murder of Percy
Lockyar, five years old, was committed
lo prison yesterday by Magistrate Jer-
mon to await the action of the Coro-
ier. There seems little doubt now that
Henderson hacked~the child to pieces
Ind before life was extinct threw him
In “Reddies” Creek and weighted him
iown with heavy stones.
Miss Cisneros’s Father in New"York.
New York, Jan. 18.—Augustin Cossio
V Serrano, the father of Miss Cisneros,
the young Cuban woman who escaped
from a Spanish prison, where she had
been incarcerated by Weyler’s orders,
trrived here yesterday from Havana on
the steamship Saratoga. ' He was re-
leased from imprisonment by General
Blanco on January 9 and has come to
the United States to join his daughter,
who is now in YVashington.
Vessel: to Carry Grain.
Philadelphia, Jan. 18. —— Thirteen
trans-Atlantic steamships have arrived‘
in thisharbor from all parts of the
world, chartered to load here outward
:argoes composed largely of cereals.
it is estimated that these vessels will
carry away 4,000,000 bushels of grain
and 20,000 tons of general merchandise.
NEWS IN BRIEF.
Surgeons in Chicago removed half an
ounce of metal from an ironworker's
oody.
The estate of the late Senator James
3. Fair has been appraised at about
I12,000,000.
The French Government has refused
:o publish the alleged confession of Al—
Zred Dreyfus. .
France and Russia have protested
against the conditions on which Great
Britain is prepared to grant a Chinese
Can.
A special dispatch from Rome says
:here was a severe earth lake shock
resterday at Argentaifitafii, wrecking
1 church and several buildings and.in-
uring a. number-of persons.
:
Tonsrom 'AN'I‘IlscALPIpG 8 LL.
“in Be in the Fonn of :1 Substitute
Drawn by Mr. Sherman. '
Waishington, Jan. 19.—The House
Committee on Commerce voted to re-
port the Anti-Scalplng bill in the form
.of a. substitute, prepared by Mr. Sher-
man, of New York. The substitute
follows the general lines of the original
bill, with some additional features. It
places a penalty on railroad officers
who deal with scalpersl Heretofore
the plan has been to hold the corpora-
tion liable, but the new provision ex-
tends the liability to officials, making
them subject to a. misdemeanor, fine or
imprisonment on conviction.
paragraph is inserted making it unlaw—
ful for general passenger agents to
supply tickets to other than an author-
lzed ticket agent.
Another provision requires that un-
used tickets shall be redeemed at any
time within one year. Any company
failing to redeem a. ticket is made lia-
ble to a civil action to a penalty of $100
in excess of the redemption money on
the ticket; Mr. Sherman will write the
report and premnt it to-morrow.
These changes in the substitute bill I
were opposed by the railroads, but
after several tie votes, Representative
Hinrichsen, of Chicago, who proposed
the amendments, threatened to kill the
bill if they were not adopted, and so,
finally, the committee yielded. They
expect the bill to pass.
Many Made Homeless.
Washington, Jan. 19.—United States
Minister Powell reported to the State
Department from Port au Prince that
American residents suffered very heav—
ily from the recent fire there, which
destroyed eight hundred homes, ren-
dered homeless more that. 2,000 persons
and entailed a. loss of more than 3. mil-
lion dollars. Many of the largest
American commercial houses were lo-
cated in the burned section. The fire
spread rapidly and got beyond control,
owing to the lack of water and Inade-
quate fire service.
Won’t Reopen Seal Question.
London, Jan. 19.—Great Britain has
again declined to reopen the sealing
question. ' It seems that her previous
refusal gave as the reason that while
negotiations were pending between the
United States and Canada, Great Brit-
ain could not reopen the matter. To
this the United States replied that no
negotiations were pending, and renew—
ed the request. The foreign office,
however, sends its regrets that the
Government does not see its way to re-,
open the question.
Jersey’s Fat lllan Dead. ..
New York. Jan. 19.~—-Ott0 Meyer, Pat-
erson's heaviest man, died yesterday
morning at his home, No. 9 Pamrapo
avenue. He weighed 470 pounds. He
was troubled with enlargement of the
heart and this caused his death. He
was so large that the undertakers did
not have an ice-box or a coffin large
.znough and one will be made. Mr.
Meyer was IWenty~nine years r:Id. ‘
1" r
J. Belden Hurlbutt,
Attorney and Counselor at Law
Room 4, up stairs,
GAZETTE BUILDING.
HENRY TILLY.
CARRIAGE MAKER.
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