The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-07
TALMAGE'S CHURCH DEBT.
A New Version Of the Manner in
Which It Was Paid.
WILLIAM G. GELSTON'S SUIT.
The Veil of the Brooklyn Tabernacle
Considerably Rent.

recover the sum OF $l,34i Wnicn amount No alleges
was borrowed from him by the defendants. Tho suit
was commenced in the City Court. The money was
loaned it is claimed by the plaintiff to pay the salary
Of the PASTOR Rev. L. Dewitt Talmage. at time
when Mr.. Geston was member Of the Board of
Trustees Of that church. In their reply to the
plant the defendants allege that February II,
when subscriptions were made to pay off the debt of
the Tabernacle, Mr. Gelston subscribed $1,000, which
they should be accredited with. it had not since
been paid by the plaintiff. To this counter claim on
the part of the Tabernacle lengthy and remarkable
answer was yesterday filed by Messrs. Morris and
Pearsa in behalf of their client Following is the
answer
ARnATGNrNG THE TABERNACLE.
Tho plaintiff for reply to much of the answer of
the defendants herein alleges prports to alege
counter claim to the claim Of the plaintiff, herein
FirsThat on the nth day of February 1873 the de-
PENDANTS Justly indebted to various parties and
corporations in the of 500 SO8 06. as follows to
wit:-Due the Mutual Life Insurance Company OF New
York. upon mortgage on church property on Scherm-
erhorn street, $35. 000 Interest from November J..
1877 to February Is, 1873. $6l3 A. Due twenty
six bonds of $1,000, each held by various persons,
secured by second mortgage on church property
on schermerhorn street: $4,000. Interest from
Due the Security Life Insurance Company, upon
mortgage old church property on Schermerhorn
street. mortgage being in process Of foreclosure in
an action in the Supreme Court Kings county,
$4,000. Due for interest on said mortgage. from
July l. 1877. to February 10, 1878. $s75 Due for
costs and expenses said action to the Security Life
Insurance Company. $500. Due for unpaid assess
ments on old church property and interest thereon
to February l. 1873 81 4O5. Due W. g. sillcocks: on
note for cash loaned defendants, $4,000. Due
w. s. Gelston on note for cash loaned de-
PENDANTS, 5000. Due Nassau Bank, Brooklyn.
on defendants accommodation note, $1,000;
due H. s. Emore on note for cash loaned defendants
$500; duo G. L. Abbe note, $414 63; due A. Pear
son, note for cash loaned defendants. $500; due
due william spense for rent, sSss A. due T. Dewitt
Talmage, note due March 90 Sl,5S3 80; due John
for services rendered in soliciting subscriptions for
payment of defendants debt, in February, 1874 at
church meeting $3.50. Total, $3.50 0e.
THE KENDALL "BEG.'
SccoM-That being SO indebted as aforesaid in the
sum Of S97, S0S o. meeting of the congregation of
the defendant held the 18th day Of February,
1873. in the church building of the DEFENDANTS at
which meeting the Rev. 7. Dewitt Talmage the pas
tor of the defendants was present and requested Mr.
Kimball to solicit subscriptions from said congre-
cation for the alleged purpose of raising sufficient
sum of money to pay OFT the entire indebtedness OF
defendants; that the said Rev. I. Dewitt Talamge.
without the knowledge OF the trustees of the defend
ants, either of them, and for the purpose of mis-
leading said Mr. Kimball and the congregation then
and there assembled represented to said Mr.. Kmbau
that the total Indebtedness then owing by the de
PENDANTS was but the sum Of S69,500 in addition
to contingent liability which might become
that the said Mr. Kimbal believing the representa-
tons so made to him by said Rev. I. Dewitt Tai
mage, as aforesaid to be true stated to said congrc
CATION in the presence and hearing of this plain
tiff that the total indebtedness of tho defendants ut
that time the sum of $69.500. in addition to a
property making total indebtedness not to exceed
the sum Of $72,5O0 and solicited subscriptions from
the congregation then assembled in said church for
the purpose of paying OF said Indebtedness and for
other purposes that 1t was then stated to said con-
gregation, in plaintiffs presence, by said Mr.. Kim
ball and the Rev. L. Dewitt Talmage. that no sub
scription made by any person should be binding
less the whole amount OF indebtedness then owing
by defendants raised, and that all subscriptions
<bu
1878. without interest. Upon the terms and condi
tions above set forth the said Mr. Kmba then asked
said congregation for subscriptions.
THE PLAINTIFFS PLANT.
Third-Paintif alleges, upon information and be-
lief that thereupon Henry 8. Elmorc, member of
said congregation prepared written subscription
aud signed his name thereto stating that he sub
scribed the of 5000 for the purpose aforesaid
upon the following conditions, viz. $4,000 o. said
amount to be paid within one year from the date
thereof 900 within two years from the date thereof
and 900 within three years from the date thereof
and handed the to Rev. I. Dewitt Talmage, who
was then upon the platform near said Mr.. Kimball;
that the said Rev. T. Dewitt TalInsge concealed the
fact that the said subscription had been made by said
Elmore upon the conditions above set forth, and
simply stated to the congregation that said Elmore
had subscribed the sum OF 5000 by which statement
this t plaintiff wa. was falsely led to believe ana
bond fde subscription made upon the terms
and conditions herenbefore stated; that upon other
subscriptions being solicited for the purpose afore
said was announced from the platform, in presence
of said congregation and this plaintiff that Rev. T.
Dewitt Talnage subscribed $1,000. the Sunday school
IS 900 and other subscriptions of various amounts
were also announced; that the plaintiff, being de-
ceived by the suppression Of the facts herenbcforc
and hereinafter stated, and believing that the sub
scriptons so announced as aforesaid honest and
jond fdc subscriptions toward paying oil the entire
debt OF the defendants, and had been made upon the
should be raised and paid within six months, ver-
bally promised to $1,000 upon the terms and con-
But this plaintiff denies that said promise made
aforesaid is binding upon him either In law or by tho
precepts OF morality.
WAS 1T BONA yIpE?
Fourth-And this plaintiff, upon information and
belief further alleges that the subscription aforesaid
of $4,000 made by the Rev. I. Dewitt Talmage
not bond Gde subscription made upon the terms aud
conditions aforesaid, but that the same was made
upon the agreement and understanding between the
said Rev. L. Dewitt Talmage and certain officers of
said defendant that the subscription made by said
Rev. T. Dewitt Talniage should not be paid within
six months. but the same should be paid by him in
said yearly payments Of $1,000 each to be deducted
from the salary of said Rev. r. Dewitt Talmagc
pastor OF the defendants.
F,tSh-That thereafter, as plaintiff is informed and
believes and alleges scheme was entered into by
and between said Rev. L. Dewitt Talnia2e and GER
tain officers of defendants by which the said Tamago
to be relieved from paying any portion of said
subscription which scheme was successfully carried
out by formally increasing the salary of said Rev. T.
Sirth-That 1t the time the aforesaid subscriptions
announced ~ the said congregation in presence
Of this plaintiff the conditions above stated were
concealed from the congregation for the purpose of
inducing this plaintiff aud others to subscribe to
said Indebtedness and this plaintiff was nslcd and
deceived thereby at the time lie promised to con-
tribute toward liquidating said debt.
ALLEGED TIuCKERY.
Sepnh-Plaintifr alleges ON information and belief,
~ further defence TO the alleged claim set forth In
defendants answer, that the said Rev. 4. DE Witt
Tamagc. for the purpose OF further decciving said
congregation engaged the Rev. b. l. IVES the 10Th
day of May last to solicit further subscriptions from
said congregation for the purpose of paying off the
debt aforesaid and represented to said Ives that the
total debt Of the defendants was the sum Of $4,000,
and that $4,000 of said debt had been subscribed and
provided for, leaving balance OF $4,000 10 DO
raised that said D. IVES believing said representa-.
tions to he true and in pursuance thereof then and
thcre stated to said congregation that the total
debt OF defendants was $4,000, that $4,000
of said debt had been subscribed and pro-
vided for, that there was wanting only
100000 to wipe out the entire indebtedness OF
defondants that the said Ives further stated TO said
congregation that all the subscriptions taken thus
far toward the $7OUO0 debt had been taken or given
on the condition that the entire amount should be
raised and no pledge binding unless the
last dollar of the entire debt is pledged; that the
entire amount needed s2O,OvO; that the time in
which the subscriptions Of over $4,000 already made
expired in August and in order 10 prevent the loss of
The subscriptions already made solicited subscrip-