The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-12-20
a LOCAL PEEACHEE IN TRoUsLE.


Matthew Fenimore moved to Kansas
from Indiana as early Is 1857, and
about that time settled in the northern
part Of Coney county, and not far
from Hartford, in Lyon county, which
was, and still is, his post town.
Fenimore is apparently about fifty
years of age, of medium height,
dark hair and eyes, slow of speech and
movement, lank In figure, slouching
and rather Down at the heel In dress, a
somewhat sanctimonious manner, cal
culated, with his other characteristics
to create an impression Of honesty and
good faith, coupled with lack of busi-
ness and other go-ahead qualities.
Farming has been his chief visible
means OF support during all his resi-
dence in COfey county; but he was
one chosen probate judge Of that
county. aud also served short time as
clerk of the district court, but whether
by election or appointment we are not
certain. During the greater portion OF
the time he has further varied his eff
forts at business and pleasure by OFF,
ciating as local preacher of the Meth
odist church, in which capacity he was
duly licensed. He was quite active in
his spiritual labors, which were, how
ever, most vigorously conducted at
distance from home, his work this year
being in the Kirkendall settlement,
Plymouth and Americas, in Lyon
county. Fenimore's reputation about
home during all these years, while not
specially savory might be called fair
to middling. About ten years ago he
was accused before q ministerial coun-
Gil of the Methodist church Of improp-
er intimacy with woman named
Webster, but after an investigation was
acquI tied. the popular impression be-
ing that the acq initial was about equiv
alent to the verdict of the Texas jury:
"Not g9ilty-but he had better rot do
it again" Some two or three years
after little disturbance in his domes-
tic relations led to the report--gener-
ally believed-that he had been caught
in the act of getting into bed with q
woman boarding in the family. From
then until quite recently the current
of his affairs has apparently flowed
smooth, and it was supposed that age
or increasing zeal in his Masters serv-
ice had quenched the passions of his
more youthful and sinful days. But as
Joe Bagstock unctiously said OF him
self, 50. B. is q sly dog-a sly dog, sir"
80 the lank subject of our regrets was
only "working under cover" A few
since, while preaching in the |
neighbOrhood, he was guilty |
Of lewd and lascivious attempts upon
a young married woman, but was re-
PEELED with the scorn his conduct mer- |
tied. About the same time, while pur.
suing his piOus ministrations on AL |
len creek, near Americas, he set up a. |
. professor Of pills and powders, for
the benefit of young lady sick in bed |
with the ague, and in making investi-
cations as to. the location of the dis
ease, for the purpose of diagnosis, got |
his hands in the wrong place and was
Indignantly expelled from the room by |
the young lady.
These two adventures are now I'M
dergoing investigation before a minis
terial council in session at the Metho-
dist church in this place.
II the investigation could be made
general we learn that several other
lewd transactions OF Feuimore's could
be brought to light.
THE RESULT