The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-05-09
ANOTMBR CLERICAL SCANDAL
Tho Case Of Rev. MyrHm ID. Wood,
=, Of Georgia, sedaccr of Miss Emma
l,htvern '.---
Correspondence Of tho Courcr-JournalJ
sF DECATUR, DAkALB Co., Ga, |
nril. on lk-QL :

fCorrsspond ense of tho Couricr-J ournal
DECATUR, DaKALB Co, Ca,
April 20, 1873.
This community has just been startled
by the intelligence that the Supreme
Court, at Atlanta, had reversed the jndg.
ment Of the Superior Court, which has on
two successive occasions convicted Rev.
Myram b. Wood, recently pastor of the
Presby ,erisn cb urch i'm this village Of the
heinous crime OF seduction. Az this case
has excited the greatest interest IN ueor-
gia and elsewhere, will give your read
ers brief but complete History Of the case.
Rey. Myram D, Wool, before his ,c>n-.
yiction, disgrace aud expulsion nom his
church. was a member aud minister OF the
Presby terrain church, aud had attained y
wide and epyiubls. reputation for elo-
quence, Earning, pie'y md culture lie
was originally from forkten, 5. 9. lie
has occ upisathe pulpitrin several otHes =
South Carolina, Alabami and Georgia
where he was received with confidence. A
nuaibero Of years ago he was called to the
pulpit Of the Presbyterian church in this
village where, by his eloquence, zeal and
piety, he won the favor, admirA ton and
love Of the entire community. After o
short lapse Of time he was solicited TO take
charge OF small school, proposition he
willingly accepted, as he could thereby
employ his leisure hours from Sabbath 10
Sabbath in the l:irsNit OF his favorits
studies aud the Instruction Of the youth Of
whom lie seemed especisl ylfond. } Y IA
In this school he met Miss Emma |.
Ghivsrs, ayouug cir! Of about sixtcea sum
mers, OF remarksbl. beauty and even more
re observation-disclosures, whose tastes for
study and rapid Improvement became the
remark or all and the ooast Of her teacer
and perhaps, alasl whose sparkling eyes
and gracsfti! squire wove a spell around
The heart Of the IL inister aud teacher
which has accom- plished both his and her
ruin. She wa. poor girl who depended
upon h;r-own. and her mothers exertions
for a support and the means to educate
her. Mr.. Weed, approaching her cream.
stances, kindly consented toteash the girl
gratuitously, and to give her private in
struction ut his or her home, as opporiu.
nifty offered. This arrangement CON tinu ed
a year or two Meantime Wood pursued
his duties rs pastor and tcacherAapd Miss
Emma grew prct;ier and smarter, the al.
miraton of-ail aoRwhom She asknown.
After some time it was observed that Miss
Emma was living ID almost entire secln-
sion, and there were many gnesses as to the
cause. Six. months later tho, villags was
startled and shocked by the Intelligence
that Mis- Emma, had giyea birth TO u
child. After thousand conjec.ures as to
ths author Of her ruin, REV. Myram d.
'wo cd, her .pastor, teacher, protec. or, ad.
wiser, and, as it were, religious confessor,
was suspects ted. and upon the affidavit Of
iirs. 0hfssre, sIisslEnina s mother 50
IN WAS ARRAIeyED BEFORE TIE SUPREME
- COURT
On the charge ofssduc,ioh. T6s even 90.
casioned the most intense excitement iu
ths usually quiet village. Prejudices for
or against the parties was almost univer.
SAL Animosities4 of tlIe mos lyiudictive
character spraug up between lifetime
friends. THE entire county was divided.
Society mas disorgauized. Weed was sus-
pended from the church. Al the trial over
seven hundred citizens we're summoned