The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-07-13

On this trial the Reverend accused was
most ably defended by an as,ute lawyer
imported for the occasion, from the State
of Michigan, who, AS Was claimed, was
better sersei IN criminal jurisprudence
than any one .. the eminent lawyers oi
Wisconsin, and is reported 10 have had a
long and intimate professional aequain,
tance with the accused, which in one IN
stance had proved profitable to the one
and fortunate to the other; but in this
case. his ingenuity, Lis brow-bealing o.
the Court, his badgering of the witnesses
and, more especially, his unprofessonal al
and indecorous attempts to break the force
Of the testimony Of two or more of the
witnesses by attacks on their characters
for truth and veraciiy, and his eloquent
appeals, most signally failed to convince
any member of the Court Of the Innocence
of his client Of single one of the many
charges alleged against him in the
presentrnent.
And SO overwhelmingly clear and con,
elusive was the proof Ct the gull. of the
accused Of each and all of the charges Sc,
forth IN the specifications Of the present
meut, ne saw no hope Of escaping The
verdict Of the Court of guilty, except by
adding to It's deep damnation by the lying
pretense Of his having successfully resis.e ed
and foregone the qualification Of his own
letcLerous desires when invited and ex-
cited thereto, by the seductive wiles o
one Of the female witnesses, whose virtue
alone had shielded her agans. his base
designs, and whose stout heart carried
her 10 the canons of her church for pro-
lection against his vile and persistent per
secutiops; and she has good reason to
thank God, that while they have extended
to her their full protection, her late Pastor
has received their Munder.
This attempt Of his, made in pursuance
Of previous threats, 10 destroy or lnjure
the character of virtuous and most
worthy young lady, whom lie had bap>
tised into the family Of Christ the Church,
and whom he had failed TO prostitute to
his unholy purposes, has brought upon
him the scorn and contempt Of all honor
able minds in this community, while his
intended victim has escaped unscathed and
unharmeG without blot or hemisb upon
her fair name. and is respected 5y all who
entertain proper regard for true womanly
virtue and worth.
TIE VERDICT AND SENTENCE.
The court rendered the following YER
dict and sentence against the said accused
as communicated to the Rev A. J. NJ
Hudson. Judge Advocate, by Rev. DR..
AshIy, President of the court:
"MLwAuKEE, July 3, &c.
Ny Dear Bro
The unanimous verdict Of the court in
the case Of the Rev. l.. n. Freeman, is
that he is guilty Of the charges made
against him in the pIesentment Of the
Standing Committee.
"The sentence is admonilon - and
that it be as Sevtre as possible, and we
urge that he lie never permitted in any
event, to resume pastoral relations with
st. James Church, Manitowoc.
The ma aority Of the cour, gave their
lots, al first, for uspension-tut We all
agreed, at last, that inasmuch as the mere
hias OF clergyman is wei! nigh tanta-
mount to his opposition, and the smallest
penalty known to our canors would pre-
clude the bishop from giving the con-
demned clean papers uutl three gears
shall have elapsed, we would lean as
far as possible towards the side OF mercy
and inf1ict the penalty of admontion.
Very atfec,ionately Yours,
(Sjgned) WM Bliss AsuLBY
An unanimous verdict of guilty on all
Of the charges as set forth in the speci6ca.
tiobs.
Guilty of what Of "imn.oral, scan
dalous, and disorderiy conduct" and tha:
too, SO often and on SO many occasions,
and towards and in the presence Of so
many Of the females of bis church and
congregation, into whose family circles
and confdences he bad been freely ad
mitted as their spiritual advisor, as to have
satisfied the court, as it has this commu-
nifty, that it bad become habi,ual 20, and
was only intermitted by him when occas-
ion was lacking, or fear or policy re-
strained.
The cour. says: "On casting lots, ma
jori,y Of the court were for the inflicling
OF the sererest penslty-a sentence of sus-
pension-t the degradation of the convict
ed eupr't from The Office Of presbyter of
The church; and for the sake of the puri.
ty, dignity and glory Of the church and of
the cause of that pure and undefiled re.
ligion which that church Processes TO
teach, it is to be regretted, nay, depIored
that the court did no, carry into full and
unqualified effect their own convictions,
by recording in the archives of their
church the sentence of degradation Of
the conv'cted from the holy Office of min.
istet Of Chris in tie church.
The court further say:
The sentence is admonition; and
that it be as severe Al possible, and we urge
tha! he be never permitted in any event,
20 resume pastoral relations with St.
James Church, Mani:owoc"
If, "n any event." OF for anv reason
or under any ptetense, the Bishop should
determine 10 disregard tho recommends
ton Of the court and seek to establish such
relations between this convict ed old sin
ner and St. James church, he would soon
learn that. such relations would not be
tolerated here for one dav, uay for one
hour and that the secular arm of this
community is sufficiently powerful to pro.
ell al Il u. 1