Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-08-11
SECOND EDITION.
the Camp Meeting Scandal.

FURTHER PARTIcULARs-REy. MR KENNEy SAID TO
HAve DRUaaED HIMSELF. AND NOW REPORTED IN
A PREoARIoUs coNDrrIoN-THE CIRCUMSTANCES
OF THE oAaE REDUCED TO WRITING TO FRAME A
CAsE ON.
From a member of a Committee of Inquiry,
who says that the statements printed in yester-
days COMMERCIAL were mainly correct, we hayo
additional particulars of tho scandal which
marked the opening of the Brandywine Summit
camp-meeting. He gives the name of the fami-
ly which ia connected with the scandal as Van
Meter-J. Townsend yanMeter, OF 22l9
Lawrence street, Philadelphia, Mr.. YanMeter
remained at home, but his wife, as
has been her custom for two or three years past
has kept boarding tent at Brandywine Summit
and went there with her daughters, Alice aged 10
and Anna aged i, and small child, for this pur-
pose, this year. Mr.. Kenney had always boen
on close terms OF intimacy with the family, and
had been looked upon by it as a very warm
friend. In some measure thoy were indebted to
him for choice location for their boarding tent.
On Friday afternoon, Mr.. Kenney went to the
camp-ground about O'Clock, and after advising
Mrs. YanMeter to move the locatioIfof sleep
ing tent which she was about erecting little
farther to the north, he went away and returned
about 8 o'clock in the evening. Finding the
two daughters i'll the tent while Mrs. V. was out
in the cook house Mr. Kenney, 1t is stated by
Mrs. ", commenced playing with the young ladies'
and asked the elder one to come and sit beside
ing the baby in her arms she walked past Mr..
Kenney who grabbed at her and tore her dress.
She went on out of the tent and told her mother
that she WAS not pleased with the actions of Mr..
Kenney. The mother prldently advised her to
be quiet and say no more, but while doing 80
their ears were saluted with screams from tho
younger sister. The mother hurrying into the
tent says she found Mr.. X. with the child in his
arms in such manner as to admit of no doubt
of his guilty intention.
Hi,rbuv foil Eapnay went
home. He returned on Saturday, as though
conscious of no wrong, and as he was passing
through the camp ground, while the mother was
relating the circumstance to r committee, she
saw him and exclaimed, "There comes the ras-
cal now," and as he neared the tent she picked
up stone and dared hum to come farther. The
little girl, contrary to her usual custom Of gladly
meeting him, ran screaming to her mother for
protection. Mr.. X. seeing the condition OF af-
| fairs returned home and sent his wife to the
camp ground to investigate the matter and see
what was wrong. Mrs. Kenney went to the
grounds and had all interview with Mrs. VAN
| Meter who gave the intelligence narrated.
1t is stated that MIR. Kenney, after returning
| home, either through the shock upon his nerves
| or by the use of powerful drugs, became insen-
| sible and has remained 30 ever since, with occa-
| sonal flashes of consciousness. He continued
| sinking until yesterday afternoon at which time
| little hopes were entertained of his recovery
| The doctor in attendance says that he has been
heavily drugged
| Mrs. yanlIeter has reduced her statement
of the case to writing, with the intention OF
| framing all action against blr. Kenney after the
| camp meeting, but she declines to say at the
present time what will be the nature of the
| charges which she will prefer against him
\ Her husband visited tho camp-meetng on Sun
day, and removed the child to his home IL
| Philadelphia, with the stated purpose of OBJ
| tanning medical treatment, first having declinet
| to allow committee of ladies to satisfy them
| selyos of the extent of tho injuries alleged to
| have been done.
! Dr. Calver, MIR. Kenney's physician and al
| who have since nursed him, say that he is raw
| ing and they fear hopeless maniac-that ht
talks constantly on religious subjects, saying he
| is fighting seven devils.-quoting scriptural pas
sages, etc., etc. Prior to this affair Mr. Kenne,
has frequently complained to his friends of his
head, of weariness and overwork. On Thursda,
he wrote a note to Albin Baldwin, the well
| known local preacher of Siloam asking il he ant
| Mr.. Humphres, (Mr. kenney's father-in-law,
would not preach in the morning and afternoon
| saying he was unwell, and when on Thursday ht
received number of letters making applications
for tent space on the camp ground, he absent,
tore up all he had, answered and unanswered
Mrs. VanMeter, in her written statement ast
| narrates an incident even at the time of the al
legged charge. wherein Mr. Kenney repeatedly
unsexed the little child which he asked the priv
ilege of baptizing, although he had already per
formed that act. The lady thinks this is sham
but MIR. Kenney's friends relate numerous cir
| cumstances to show that he was not i'll his right
mind.
Mr.. Kenney is comparatively young man ant
gave promise of being one of the leading mem
bers of the Philadelphia Conference. He is 6
son .in-law of the venerable Rev. Joshua Hum
phries, we'll known in this city, member of the
Wilmington Conference, and belonging to the
Union NJ. Il. Church. His previous good char
acter stands unquestoned by all who know him
and he was withal Il most popular minister, hay
ing only lately received a call from an infiuen-
tial church in Philadelphia Even Mrs. Van
Meter, while sincere in the belief that he was
shamming insanity, testifies to his previous goot
character, to his freedom from drink and to tbt
fact that she had known him for seventeen
years, and ever found him christian gentle
man, nor ever knew or heard of ANYTHING dis
creditable in his conduct, save on the occasion
referred to. This opinion is confirmed by th'
members of Sloan, Comprising mon OF the
highest moral character) which he has hat
charge of for nearly three years, and no tendsn-
cy to drink or vice of any kind, beyond smoking
cigar, was ever noticed.
When tho circumstances of the case were dis
closed, the camp-meeting was put into the hand
of the Rev. Samuel Hance, q local minister wh'
carried it on until the arrival last evening o
Rev. John Dyson, who took it in Charge. Rey
]. g. Lame, a former minister of Siosm church
will be present toward the latter part of thi
week and assist Mr.. Dyson.