The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-20
SADDLE RIVERS BRASS BAND
NOW THAT FAMOUS CHURCH TRIAL
HAPPILY ENDED.
Mr.. Ackerman. Bsritone. Restored to Full
-Whereat the Ftrst Bnss. the
Cornet, and the sa xophore Reioiced.

-whereat the Ftrst uns.. the
Cornet. and the saxophonc Reioicod.
The trial Of the Rev. Mr.. Switser Of the
First Lutheran Church OF Saddle River. MI.
was commenced ut Saddle River on Tuesday of
last woek. The charge against the pastor Is
that he has acted in an Understandable man
nor toward the Saddle River Brass Band.
majority Of whom arc worshippcrs at his
church. The cornets. bass horns. and snare
drums OF the organization wero separately sum-
moned to prove that the pastor had spoken dis
paragingly Of them declared their families to
be hypocritcs " and going to the devil. " and
had finally capped the climax Of his wrong
doing by causing the accommodation Of the
baritone. Mr.. Garry Ackerman for playing Mt n
place whore LIQUOR was sold. Mixed up with
these charges was another 10 the effect that tho
pastor had behaved in an unchristian spirit
toward Brother Powell. a leading member Of
tho church. in suing him for the value Of sevcn-
teen inches Of disputed land. The trial was
before tho Conference Of the New York and New
Jersey Synods. who devoted the morning a2d
afternoon Of Tuesday TO hearing the evidence
| on these points.
| AT the evening session the charch was packed
| to sunocation. So hot was it that the suffering
| clergymen who wSsv sitting In judgment on Mr..
Switser repeatedly pe:tioncd to hnvc the win
Several hours had becn devoted to minute de-
tails concerning the lawsuit between the pastor
and Elder Powell aboutthc ownership Of scvcn-
| teen inches OF land. whom wenricd brother
| from Now York rose and said: 9" Brethrcn. We
| have had enough OF this land business. In
| mercy's name. let us 20 on to the hrnss bnnd
indictment. or we shall never get through to-
| night" Applause md laughtcr.l
As the Conference had made arrangements 70
| leave on the milk train from Hohokus at 10 so
7. NJ. the proposition WIS accepted without de-
"A
! voice read the fifth and most serious sprrinca-
| ton. charging the pastor IN conjunction with
suspended from church ordinance Mr.. Garry
Ackerman. the baritone. of the band. the band
| referred 20 bcing the Brass Band OF Saddle
! the Rcv. Mr.. Swiis"r's church. Tho members
! ofthe Conference looked nNedly through their
| god-mouutci spe,tacles at the n used pastor
! 70 judi. II he were indeed guilty Of III" charge.
| Mr.. Sw 'iser smiled hnck through pair OF Lon
don smoke glasses without 30 much NJ moving
MI Acsermnn.. who appeared without his
| instrument. briefly detailed the circumstnnr rrs
| under which he had been communicated
| e. bounced the brother sitting next TO Sun re-
porter phrnsrd ~. Hr had gone TO the DANCE Mt
Carmnns Hotel IN company with the other mem e.
| bers ~ the band. who Ind been hired to play
| from % clock in IN" afternoon III 10 O'Clock At
paxnnbe pxb ws for IN, I rIsy"nth time 'bs.1T, II b.on
10 rain. The men had on their new uniforms,
and A. they diint care about g"i,ing drcnched,
| thry rcpnirrd To- the barroOm of the hotcl
Did Won sc"nny Intoxicating liquor pnrtaken
| OF. young man"
! praised Brother Smith. with whom no hadl
! dinei. on th'. quality of his cider. 1t appeared
| from the evidence that some ot the memOers of
| the band might have imhibed little lager or
Rhine wine. There were vague hints as TO a
milk punch. but II appearing that one OF the
| members was ioverish and had been prescribed
| milk punches hy his doctor. the point was
to show thet Mr.. Ackermsn or or the other e61rch e
| members had taken anything stronger than
Temperance drinks" with possibly cigar OF
| two thrown in. The witness WAS cross-ques-
| toned 10y the pastor and several mitigating cir
cumstnnccs elicned.
| Several hours were devoted to reading long
| extracts from the church rites and discipline
some ot the brethren who had hnrd work in
ksepine awake. p9intedly intimated that the
The pastor In mis- defence. cal ed attention Ia
tho fact that III" opposition hal been entertain
| ing his Judge, aud that Influences had been
| ~ work which might prejudice their
vcrdict. He also r1id his respects
| To Prosecutor Campbell Of Hack 'hsnck
who had been prominent in tho i7-inch land
snit. conpaling him 10 his Arnhinn nan rsnk q
Il. e, cameD. who first stuck his head un-
asked. into the Bcdouin's tent. and then in
sisted on ihru-ting in his whole body. Laugh .
ter 10 which Brother Campbell ioin"d hrnrtily
He brother Switserl had sued Brother Powell
| for tho seventeen inches of land. not TO annoy
| or modest him. but TO obtain clear title TO hi
eyman or a lnyman. lad his rights before II .
| law. and was justified in enforcing them. Ia
dlsep ming the baritone. ana commenting on
|
| cymbais, h" had cndeavored to seek the golden
| mean Of lcn ncy without sacrificing his duty.
Surely he had right to look after tho religious
Interests ~ these young musicians and prevent
them from straying into bad habits and bad as
Brother wonncr ot Brooklyn agreed with
Brother Swilsrr that hc ought 10 Cnnrd tho
spiritual Interests OF the + .cc9rnets aud The
that h. had used n club instead Of n shepherd :
Brother Switscr thought that his lutv was to
"a h.a-
longcd u brass bands or orch"strns. unformc.l
or Otherwise, sin, IN has opinion was mono
upon hrnzrn cornrt or manipulated the keys
Of n doulle bass. laughtcrl In CONCLUSION
sand n Years % to- iishi ,hc d"vil." tprn,nss" 'o"'
Brother Campbell summed M in an able
spe"oh. in w.iich he paid m Eroihcr Switser's
and drew touching pictur" OF the penc, and
hnrm9ny which prevailed IN saddle River be-
nit TINT thrr" mad h'en blame on both sides
the greater responsibility for II certainly rast.
with vi. Swt-"r. lls has" nnd arbitrary con-
ami it was the duty of Tho Conference io tak
such action rs wonll nut an circ'tual end 10
binds s,,cntrcn inch hn 4riis. ana snrsnpn,
riila pirnics had made Snddlr River a laughing
to Mr.. SWi's'r; j" merely wished to see lin put
wh'rr h" would DO mos' good. which, in his
opinion was ont ~ the pupii.
~ lat" hour the tonirrrncc retired To de-
ihriQig uuou their vnrliN. The milk tram
had left Hnhokus hours before. So thut thare
WIS no hope OF getting home until morning.
The runstcrs IN III" ucighhnrhood had begun IN
crow wh.u tho Committee brought in n report
renstniug Mr., Alderman, N" baritone, into
fun menlbership and recommending mutual
forbrarance to both parties. The Conlernnce
the counsel, and the accused exchanged mutual
| congratu atons and tho tlal was declared
ended The majority of the church sustain the
| pastor.
The Rev. Mr.. Swtser shook hands with THE
| Sun representative on parting and expressed a
| high opinion OF THE Sun S impartial reports oi
| the trial. Several ~ the brethren manfred par-
ticularly of Mr.. Talmngr and asked where they
! could procure printed copies Of his last&ermon