The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-11
TERDICT AGAINsT A CALIFORNIAN
The False Imprisonment OF n Man who Crp
Ie.ied sub.crIpiion. for HI. Chnrch

The suit brought by Potter Reeves, a cob
ored coachman. against Allen x. Woodlc. m
Episcopal clergyman. for damages for fass
impriscnmcni. WAS tried In the Marine Court
on Thursday and Friday. The plnintT before
the war Of the rebellion WIS a slave in tho
South and during the war served in the Union
army. Ancrward he came TO New York whcra
he took service as u coachman in wealthy fame
lies. He became n mcmb'r OF the Sullivan
Street Colorcd Methodist Church. and his apars
hours he has devoted to collecting subscrip.
tons for this church.
In September last he mot tho defendant
in Fifth avenue. and asked him f. put his nnms
down for II subs rption. The dcfondnnt la a
clergyman Of thirty years or 50. and WIS nj
that time an assistant in n church in Fifth
avenue. He Is now assocntc pastor Of n rural
parish In Pennsylvania. and ~ on the puhlish-
ing stan ol tho CtaTcintan, published in this
H. WIS suspirous ani askcd tho plaintiff for
refcrencns. The plaintiff invited him To call nj
the Office Of DrS. Baldwin 4 Scott, ut y Mcst
Forty FIRST street. Tor whom he had boon coach-
man for several years. Thcy went there, and
Dr. $ 'pu gave. the plainiiI very good teeti-
moniaL Mr.. WoOdlc thcreupon gave the plain
til ~ dollar toward his church collections; but
after that. bong stu suspicious. hc asked tho
plniniin 10 refer him TO other persons. Tho
plninti1 said that he know Mr.. Butler the Pres
idcnt of the ~ Nth Avenue lsailrOad. and 40 thry
Wmn To- W. ra,,r,4u oiii,i IN 1'1tm av,nue m,.
TIL Mr.. Noodle then returned to DIR. SCOTS
office. and Dr. Scott reiterated what he had said
Of the plnintin and said further that Mr.. Butor
had doubtless mot the plaintiff. but had proba-
bly, forgotten him, being public man and ycry
busy, Mr. WoOhl" again won't away. ana Peter
Reeves. the plaintiff. went homo. Soon after
ward he was visited at his place Of dwelling
Woodes complaint. arrested him. and took him
To "a police station. where he was locked up in
cell. DIR. Scott arriving late in the day TO aasA
him. the plaintiff was taken before Justice Wan
dell and discharged.
1t was shown. though not formally admitted
in evidence, that MIR. Noodle had been request
ed TO make an apology for his Imprisonment u
also that the plaintiff had offered 10 withdraw
the suit II an apology WIS given aud reptratlOu
mndr. hut that this Oilcr WIS also declined.
MIR. Moodle. being lluc. Il upon the witnoss
stand. displayed a rather sharp and irritable
temper. upon which the plaiaiii's counsel, q
addIessingfhc jury. commented, sayingthat the
defendant WIS evidently man OF bitter and
torgivng. M one OF his calling should be- ana
that this oX planned his unrtovoked persecution
ofthc plaintiff. The defendant counsel argued
that Mr.. Noodle had such probable cause for
suspccing and prosecuting the plaintiff aa
justified it under the law He was u young
minister. Just starting in his vocation with sal.
airy OF only $500. and married On that. and .
verdict against him, upon which he might BE-
arrested and Imprisoned until the Judgment
WIS paid might do him infinite damage.
The Jury, after "A brief dnlhrrliiun. returned
a verdict for $50 in favor ~ the plantiif ThiQ
carries fun COSTS Some of the jurors SAID
aitorwurd that larger verdict would have boon
given had the defendant been Ia receipt Of
larger salary or owned property.