Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-12-03
The Zion Church Difficulty.

Yesterday afternoon Justice Walter held an
examination at the first precinct station OF the
following parties, charged with riot and as
sault and battery: Judson Gilbert, Pull A
Lee, David Lee. David Butler. Ilighman DOT.
sey, Arthur Carter, John Z. Scowden, and
Rev. Jacob b. Trusty. An account OF the ar
rest of these parties was published In the STAR
Of Monday, the alleged riot having taken place
AT an early hour on Sunday morning and Jus
uee Tucker held them TO security for hearing
yesterday. Mr.. J. E. Norris appeared for rns
J. johnson for the defence. The station house
was crowded to OVERLOOKING with members OF
the church.
AFTER the affidavit on which the warrant was
issued had been read. the prosecuting witness.
VIM Beckett, was sworn, and testified that he
was one of the trustees; that he was on guarG
at the church Sunday morning before sunrise
when David Butler came to the gate and asked
witness to open II; he refused, and the Lees
came to Buffers assistance and pulled the gate
open. Butler raised a club, and Snowden
caught hold of him, and the crowd got around,
shouting skill him. He got away from Snow
den, who followed him, throwing stone, and
exclalmIng he would give it to him for filing
the police. Gilbert said, "Don't strike him.
ana Elder Trusty came out and said to the
crowd, ''Go cad, boys; 1 defy the police to
arrest you" He was salts fed If it had not been
for the darkness and Gilbert's interference he
would have been killed. While the sculfIing
with him was in progress the church was
broken open. Henry Simms and Arthur Chew
We're inside. He received no blow, the clubs
tong around so thick as TO be in each others
way. These had been concealed in Jacob
TTusty's house, and his door was opened and
he harked them on.
accommodating Snowden held wit
ness Arthur Garter held club over him, and
Gilbert said "don't strike" Gilbert &C ted with
the crowd until the excitement got too high.
There were other persons present whom he
could not identify.
Arthur Chew and Henry SImms corrobo-
rated the testimony of the preceding witness
in the main. and also testified to holding against
The door until they forced it open.
Townly John on testified TO Snowden having
chased Beckett.
MIR. Fendall said this church had been in or
ganlzatlon thirty one years, subject TO the dis
cipline OF A. Nj. f. Zion Church; that the last
General Conference so amended the discipline
as TO require that the trustees should be nomi-
mated 20 male members meeting. by the pas.
tor of the church; that the prosecutors were not
so nominated, and they having refused to obey
this rule OF the Conference, they Were cited 10
appear for trial, charges having been preferred
when they locked up the church, and the
church finally dismissed them; and be con-
tended that the parties complaining were in
fact the guilty parties.
Rev. Jacob r. Trusty, the preacher in charge,
was caIled as witness. but the justice decided
on Mr.. Noryls' point, that he was one of the
parties charged with the offence, aud there
fore was not a competent witness.
Rev. Singleton Thomas Jones testified that
De was one of the Bishops of the A. Nj. T.. ZION
Cnurch, and described the manner in which
the trustees are elected yearly. Oh cross-ex-
animation he stated that the trustees were
elected on the 2lst of November, l. votes being
cast The church was locked up because it
was understood that certain refractory mem
bers Were TO be tried: that few of the efficient
members have gotten up the cry that they (the
MINISTER'S were parcel of robbers, &c. He
came here 10 Inquire into the affairs of the
church, and found they had passed revolu-
uonary resolutions and had endeavored to get
other churches TO unite with them but failed
witness was proceeding to explain at some
length the proceedings, when Mr.. Norris OBJ
Iected. that they wanted testimony and rot
peacbIng. Laughter After the pastor and
congregation had been kept out ten days, and
consultation with The Mayor and AIaIer Rich
ards, by the grace of God, they had got posses
sion OF the church, and il had been understood
that by the grace of God they would have
prayer-meeting there last Sunday.
Henry Penn testified that Butler applied To
Beckett 10 come in and was refused that Simms
and Chew Were standing IN the church door
with sticks; that Beckett pulled a palirg of the
gate and raised IL; that SnOWden pulled him Off
the stcop. and b. went of calling watch, &c
Oiher witnesses testified that they went there
TO prayer meeting; that the door was not locked
but was pushed open; that there was no yio-
lence used. &c.
Afier short argument Justice Walter dis
missed the charges Of assault aud battery and
rot, and fined David Butler. John f. Snow
Gen, David Lee and Phillip Lee - each for
dlsorderly conduct.