The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-10-27
From the Newburgh Telegraph
Singular Trial In the Orange County
Court.
SEPARATING THE SEXES IN CHURCH

David C. Ringland against David w. God
ney, John Brundage, Hiram Westlake, Aaron
Sherwood, and Joseph Tompkins.
This cause was tried at the term of the
Court in February last, at which time the ju-
~ were unable to agree upon verdict. The
action was brought to recover damages for an
assault upon the person of the plaintiff by the
defendants. The facts, as disclosed upon the
trial, are these:
On Sunday evening in October last, the
plaintiff, in company with his wife and a fc-
male acquaintance, attended prayer meeting
at the Methodist Church at Gardentown. On
entering the church he quietly took seat by
the side of his wife, in a pew in the rear of the
edificc. This, it seems, was in violation of
long established rule of this church, that the
males and females must be kept apart during
the religious exercises, and proclamation was
soon made by the class-lcadcr present, that
there was man among the women," and the
plaintiff was therefore requested to depart
hence"
He did not, however, seem to comprehend
the extent of his transgression, or the necessi-
ty of obeying Orders,' and remained seated
He was waited upon by one of the trustees
with a request to remove, but was finally told
by the trustee, after stating to him that he was
accustomed to sit by his wife at the church he
usually attended that he might remain where
he was, it he would keep quiet which he pro-
missed to do. This waiver of the rule scpara-
ting the sexes upon such occasions, however
did not meet with the appreciation of other
members Of the church present, and the plain
tiff was visited by some two or three Of them
in succession, but in answer to their directions
to Ego to the other side or leave the church."
he stated to them that he preferred to remain
where he was.
BY this time there was some little confusion
among those in attendance, and the prospects
of having worship under the circumstances
were not very fattcring.
After some little debating, in which the
plaintiff took part, one of the defendants,
who, it is claimed, had had some little expert
ence in seeing persons go out Of the church,"
assumed an erect position, and moved that the
plaintiff be put out, at the same time showing
"signs of fight" by commencing to divest him
self of buff-coat. The plaintiff, after parlia-
mentary usage, seconded the motion Of the
man in the buff-coat. Off went the coat, and
on went the fight.
With defendant hold Of each arm and leg,
and bis neck firmly secured by the odd One
the plaintiff was carried out of doors. The
plaintiff struggled manfally, bat it was no Use,
as, with the exception of halt or two to cna-
ble the defendants to "renew their grips and
the knocking over couple of stoves, the task
was easily accomplished. The evidence went
to show that, while the exit was being made,
the defendant with the "buffcoat" off display
ed some skill as shoulder hitter by Occa-
sionally dealing the plaintiff blow, as an in
ducement for him to keep quiet The work
done, the church was closed and all retired to
their homes.
1t was admitted, on the part of the plaintiff,
that the church had right to establish rules
separating the sexes, but it was cOntended that
it was waived by one of the trustees. consent
ing that the plaintiff might remain seated by
his wife, and that the waiver was not revoked,
and that therefore the defendants were trespas-
sers in ejecting the plaintiff: The trustee Civ
ing the permission was introduced as witness,
and testified that he gave the consent, did not
revoke it, and refused to participate in the
fight. He was not, therefore, a defendant
For the defense, it was commended that the
plaintiff violated the condition upon which the
permission to remain was given, by not re-
manning quiet. Of course the evidence as to
the plaintiffs department was very conflicting.
The cause was skillfully conducted, and crea-
ted some little sensation. It was ably summed
up by Wilkin for the defendants, and Win
field for the plaintiff Verdict for the plaintiff
85l.