The Portland daily press., 1868-06-17
Novel Experience Of a Minister i'm Bidde-


Novel Experience offs Minister i'm Bidde.
ford.
Rev. Crammond Kennedy of New York
Secretary of the N. Y. Branch of the Amer
lean Freedman's Union Commission, who has
come to this city to confer with the Portland
Freedman's Aid Association, and present the
claims of his Society in our churches, had
taste on Monday morning in Biddeford of that
variety which is the spice of life.
Desiring to improve his time, en- route, Mr..
Kennedy introduced himself to the ministers
and some of the leading members of the
churches, and consulted them about holding
a meeting. The first Congregational church
had almost been decided upon as the pace
when one of the deacons, who had once enter
tanned bogus Indian MISSIONARY, questioned
Mr.. Kennedys identity, ana aiter oeing satis-
fed that he was the man ADVISED him to Sc
cure the City Hall for Sunday evening. -Four
ministers, allwho were asked, and one of them
the mayors pastor, signed request to "his
honor" that on account of the national and phi.
lanthropic character of the Commission, Mr..
Kennedy as its Secretary, should have the
use of the hall free of expense. This letter
he presented to the mayor, who told him he
could have the hall for half price under an
arrangement which the city had with
the churches, and that he would consult
his associates in regard to letting it free.
Now comes the hard part of the story. When
Sunday evening arrived, Mr.. Kennedy went
to the hall to have subscription cards put on
the seats, but found the door shut and people
going away in no very amiable mood; then,
although much fatigued having preached in
the morning and addressed meeting of three
churches in the afternoon at Saco and walked
both ways, he hurried to the house of the keep
er of the hall, but di not find him. Return
ing to the hall, he explained to the people on
the sidewalk that there must be some mistake
and fastened to the mayors in search of the
key, but he also was absent. G5f1g back to
the hail. Mr.. Kennedy overlook a policeman,
who expressed regret that he could afford no
help in the predicament The door being
open when Mr.. Kennedy reached it, he went
up stairs and complained of the delay to the
keeper, showing him that it was full half past
seven o'clock, and asked him to distribute the
cards. which he refused 10 do. So Mr.. Ken
nedy did it himself. 1t was half an hour af-
ter he began to speak before he secured any
thing like decent order, owing to crowd of
boys and young men who kept going out and
coming in, making great clatter in the large
room, and leaving the door open. This the
keeper should have prevented, but he was
either notat his post or did not do his duty
The address being finished, it was announced
that collection would be made for the sup
port of teacher from Biddeford, an estimable
lady now at the head of large school in Co.
lumbia, s. G. aud that the amount would be
placed in the care of Deacon Coles, one of the
most respected citizens, to be RENTED to the
Treasurer in New York. A sacred number
thrice repeated was the magnificent result
Seven dollars and seventy seven cents, $777!
Yesterday morning Mr.. Kennedy who was on
the point of leaving for Portland, inquired of
the keeper what instructions he had from the
mayor, and was informed that the full price
must be paid-twenty-fve dollars. Re ulying
that this must surely be mistake, the keeper
went with him to "his honor's" office, who said
the same thing, and added an insult to the
mean injustice Mr.. Kennedy who had not
sufficient ready money, outside Of the funds
which had been contributed in Saco, and
which he would not touch, offered his check
on New York city bank and referred
to the gentleman, whose suspicious
had been removed, but saying that the
check was not good, and being answered that
it was all he could have, the keeper had Mr..
Kennedy arrested and put to the indignity of
walking through the street, with a constable,
in his shirt sleeves, in search ola bondsman or
surety for thirty dollars! This shameful pro-
ceeding was made all the worse by the fact
that Mrs Kennedy was with her husband and
of course in great trouble while he was alb
sent with the officer. Mr.. Kennedy had a
warm letter of general introduction from Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher, notification of brew
ct commission from Gov. Fenton for service
in the war as Chaplain of the famous 10Th
Highlanders with many other papers which
proved his high standing beyond donbt; and
in addition to all this had been introduced to
the mayor as a minister of the Gospel by the
written request which we have named. The
bright spot in this disgraceful affair is that
his honors" pastor became Mr.. Kennedys
surety.
That there are two grounds of legal proceed
ings-one for the recovery of the money paid
for the hall, the usual and full value of which
was not enjoyed by Mr.. Kennedy, and the 9TH
er for unnecessary and unjustifiable arrest
seems perfectly oloar--It moods only to DO cd
ded that his honor" the keeper and the con-
stable are politicians of certain stamp, and
that Mr.. Kennedy is Iaboring for the promo
ton of popular education in the South