The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-05
A CALIFORNIA CONSPIRACY.

CLERGYMAN PURSUED By TWO CoNsPIRA-
ToRs-LAscIvIoUs CONDUCT CHARaED-A con-
FEss1oN OF THE CONSPIRACY AND AN EXPOS
URE BY DETECTIVE OFFICER.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 4, 1875.
TIE Post last evening published a narrative OF
nine columns in length purportng to be the true
story OF the circumstances connected with the
troubles OF the Rev. Mr.. Parshal of Oakland.
some two years ago Mr.. Parshal was tried by a
church council On October and November, 1879
Tor lascivious conduct with certain members or
his nocK and was convicted and left town. going to
Vallejo and finally settling at Heraldsburg, So
nora county. On the 23d Of October last the CON-
munity was startled by report that p. II. Sum-
ner, real estate agent, who had been promi-
nenL member OF Parshall's church at Oak
land. had been the victim OF an attempted
assassination. and had been taken to
his home severely wounded. He kept
his bed for several weeks. being attended by
porters. He showed anonymous letters,
warning him OF harm II he did not stop his perse.
norton statement that ne was waylaid by two
men on the night In question, ana on mis- re1us-
ing to sign compact to set Parshall all right,
dying after this statement Sumner went East
with his family, and, during his absence, Parshall
tion Of Summers ante-morIem statement.
sumner returned in May last, saying
blaL ne nau ODLalueu ROOu zeal OF
Information about Parsha IN the East
which would help the Post in the libel suit. He
called on Colonel W. II. l.. Barnes who was the
conductor OF the case Tor the Post, and showed
MIN O number of anonymous letters which he
claimed to have received during september 1874
all breathing spirit Of hostility on account Of his
opposition TO Parshal. Subsequently he told
Barnes ne had discovered the man who attacked
him, and within day or so brought TO Barnes
office a man named Purvis, who acknowledged
having committed the assault on Sumner at the re-
quest OF Parshall that Parsha was an OLD friend of
mis- and worked on his sympathles until he con-
sented TO commit the deed. Purvis also named as
hts accomplish one j. q. RogersOn, OF Oakland, a
clerk in the employ OF Bower Bros He showed
letters purporung to be from Parshall relative to
the contemplated assassination. which were In
the same handwriting as those produced by SUM-
ner
Captain Lees detective, was called into the case
and made critical examination Of Purvis and
the whole affair. he discovered q dIscIep-
ancy which aroused his suspicious, and
that Purvis, and subsequently Sumner.
being confronted with the evidence obtained
finally confessed that the whole affair, including
the injuries received by Sumner the anonymous
letters received by him and the supposed corre-
spOndence between Purvis and Parsnal was q
conspiracy to ruin Parsnall
The Post was informed ofthe disclosures on &C
count OF there being libel suit against IL by Par
shall.
on Monday Parshall was notified by telegraph.
and on his arrival on Tuesday IT was determin ed
to proceed at once against sumner, and yesterday
q suit was commenced against him IN the Twen-
tietn DISTRICT Court by Parshall, with damages
laid at $5,000 Tor libel contained In the So-called
ante-mortem statement