The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-27
The Case Of the Rev: Mr.. Kibbe


tRAFTOhI ENVNs ~ 4''S'
Ellrurs lntelllgsncr:
Youvaye insertion in your paper re-
Gently to various reports affecting the
miniSterial character Of Rev. J. A. Kbbe,
pastor OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church Of this place. / am sorry TO write
10 YOU In confirmation Of at least some
Of these reports, 49,, c.,
Steele, Presiding Elder Of Morgantown
district, consisting Of Reyds. Dr.. g.
Martin, ]. L. Clark, ]. B. Feather, W.
f. Rippey and Joseph Lee, TO investigate
the charge Of immortality, under three
specifications preferred against rev.
Kibbe. 20,
The specifications under the general
charge Of immortality we're:
lst Specification -Forsaking his wife
and family on the 7th Of November.
ID specifcation-Leaving his charge
in Grafton on the It'll Of November.
Sd speciication-Trying to entice a
young lady from the guardianship Of her
relatives, for the purpose Of seducing
her.
These specifications were fully sustain.
cd by evidence taken from letters written
by Mr.. Kibbe 10 persons in this town since
his departure.
The committee, understand, suspend.
cd Kibbe from all ministerial services
and church privileges until the ensuing
annual Conference,
The case as ! gather it Is this, Mr..
Kibbe had been paying attention to the
young lady for some time. 1t was no.
ticed by the members OF the church, some
Of whom spoke 10 him on the subject.
He justiied his course by stating that it
was with consent OF her parents and that
his object was her spiritual welfare, which
statement was probably true at first but
eventually he loved the young lady as II
he had neither vile nor children. In TACT
be became 30 infatuated that he proposed
and probably with this inten.
ton left Grafton. The young lady left
Grafton under the protection Of her
brother on the 9Th Of November, and re-
turned on the morning Of the 18th under
the same protection. II appears, l am
that he still wishes the young
lady to be with him, US recent letter
from him ION the wing" indicates.
The Methodist Church has acted very
promptly in this unfortunate case, and
The committee has done all It could to
find out the truth in the hundred reports
in circulation.
Mr.. Kibbe has been u member, of the
West Virginia NJ. E. Conference for sew
eral years. He and his wife came from
Connecticut. He was q genial compan:
ion, a good talker, well posted in all
matters pertaining 10 theology. He filled
some good appointments in the confer
ence. lie has thrown himself away. How
sad. Mrs. Kibbe ia an accomplished lady,
and there is great sympathy manifested
for her by all parties here. She is left
with three children in very destitute
condition, and true woman like, says she
will forgive him all, il he comes back.
presume there will be those in the
ministry and membership Of the Christian
Church who will continue to make ship.
wreck OF faith and good conscience till
time shall be no more. Kibbe unfortun-
aiely is one OF those. 1 suppose to-day he
is one ofthe most unhappy men in exist
enco. Some OF his actions and letters indi-
cato mental arrangement, or monomania.
"Let him that standeth take heed lest
he fall" GRAFTON.