The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-16
PARS0N ALLEN CLARK SUED.
SLANDER TJIIIL That AGITIIES A
BRIDGEPORT CHURCH.
Trensurcr Duninp Declaring that his Pnstor
Called him n scamp, and Asking Damages In
aIOO-The Church split In Two Factions.


that for two years IL has only boon by the most
tiroless perseverance, that he has secured tho
monthly payments OF his salary from Mr. Dun
lap. who was treasurer OF tho church. Hc ac-
cuscs Mr.. Dunlap OF Withholding his money
when II was in hand and could easily havc been
paid. Indeed he sums up Mr.. Dunlnp's be-
havior in the pnst by charging him Dunlap
with Selling the finances Of the church and do
ing with them as he pleased. Nevertheless. II
is not Mr.. Dunlap who s sued by tho parson.
bu, the parson by Mr.. Dunlap. Tho ex-trcas-
urcr accuses the minister Of slandcr. and sues
him 10y civil process. estimating the injury to
his character at one hundred dollars.
Ollvet Congregational Church is about nino
years old and is an offshoot Of tho old North
Congregational Church in the heart Of tho city.
Olivet Chapel IL n frame structure. chcaply con-
structcd. but prettily located on North Main
strcet opposite the snowy house and grounds
that belonged TO Gen. Tom Thumb when he
lived In Bridgeport. Tho Olivet society Is
small. and only moderately provided with
worldly substance. Their are only sevcnty-llvo
members Of the church and less thnn 200 in tho
congregation. The cdincc is in new and
growing portion OF the town. and its worship
| pors are expected to increase in humber with
| the growth Of the enoighbo.ho1d. Unfortunately
| there Is d.scord in the ranks Of tho members
| One faction-the larger and most influential
| bcfricnds Pastor Clark. Tho other desires the
church TO be rid OF him. EX-Trcasurer Dunlap
belongs TO this lattor faction. but declares that
his negligence in paying tho pastors salary had
nothing to dowth his feelings concerning him.
| Tho parson and his friends. on tho other hand
| declare that this behavior and tho present suit
| are all part ami parcel Of an attcmpt to drive
! the minister away from his charge.
| The story 81 the quarrel and alleged slandcr.
| rs sw rn t1 IN court u ocds little explanation.
Treasurer Dunlap. - a ieweller., and his husi-
| ness Is TRANSACTED IN halt Of large storo in
| MAN sire"i. he othcr hai OF the store IS oc-
| cupird hy Mrs. Green ns Fancy store No
| partition divides the stores. In Bridgeport
| there Hre many su' arrangements between
| storckrcpcrs On March 2j Pastor Clark drop
ped in upon NJ. Dunlap at his store and asked
| him whcther Mr., Cate. the church collector. Ind
| left any money thcro for him ltho pastor) that
dny. Mr Dunlap replicd TINT MIR. Gate hnd left
| some. and look the ia 81 q box and showed tho
nouncemcnt that he tNlr Dunspl did not mean
Clark askei Mr. Dunlap whoiher he proposed
| 10 keep the money without consulting tho other
| Mr.. DUNLAP replied that he would do rs he
pleased Parson Clark asked ngain for tho
| money. saying thut u was his 10y right Treas
| urer Dunlap declared again that he would DO rs
Il said" says Parson Clark. that that had
| been the trouble during the preceding two
| years. You have done rs YOU pleased with the
| fnancos without reference to the will of the
| society or the Committee. The Society's Com
mittee. during two years. have not sigDea or
| seen q bill. unless II is very recently. Whom
| tufl come 10 you tnel arc met WIN eNlNlNo
answers. They are as much in the dark as the
| others ia the church. Hawkins OF the Commit
factory answers from you. Mr.. Rugg OF the
Committee. before he got in league with you.
said the same thing. Ruge said he could not
make head or tail out Of your annual report
You have not had your books audited III two
years, although you are required to do 50 every
Mr. Charles Hall n retired merchant friend Of
| Parson Clark, had entered the store during this
| conversation. and Mr.. Green behind the oppo-
site counter could not help overhcnring what
followed. Young Dunlap. the treasurcr's son.
was behind the jewolry counter. and became
witness.
Parson Clark said that it. appeared that the
insurance on the church hal not been paid.
Treasurer Dunlap rcplied That is false
Do you say you have paid II ~ asked Mr.
That is none of your business" Mr.. Dunlap
replied.
turned 90 him the pnrsonl and said. " The best
thng you can do Is TO resign and leave the
Don't you hurry about my leaving" the
parson replied; o." out-tayod Mr.. Beardsley
who tried TO force mo away when he failed to
use me for his purposes. and III outstay you.
| in fair way 10 do the same thing"
Then Mr.. Dunlap accused the parson OF fore
ing himself on theeongreEaiion. but the pastor
| replied that when he offered his res .gnHton il
wns voted down. Mr. Dunlap sqid tho barson
WIS driving away the congregation. hut Parson
Clark said that that was not trae. either. The
congregation was Increasing. Parson Clark
again reverted to the SALARY question. and said
| that It was not until the Treasurer was throat
ened with public meeting that he paid over
any considerable sum Of money. " I have nj
ways treated you like a gentleman" Mr. Dun
The accounts OF the preceding portion Of the
conversation do not differ materially but what
followed no two persons recollect in exactly the
same way. The .rirson and Mr. Hall nearly
agree and so DO Mr.. Dunlap and his son aud
Mrs. Green, hut the difference between the
reroections Of tho adverse parties comprises
the matter nt ISSUE in the SUIT Tor slander MIR.
Hall and tho p9rson agree IN subsinuee that tho
pastor said; You II at mo like n gentleman
Your conduct during tho past two years Mr..
Dunlap, convinces me thatyou have kept back
some oi nv MONEY Al ms Mr.; Dunlap, is
ncighbor; De you hear that Mrs Green; do
The palson says hc continued to address Mr..
Dunlap, saying. Please take note oi what
said. | do Mt say you have kept back my
money but that am eonynccd YOU have
he said Nj Dunlsp. you are a scamp. >
Thereat Mr. Dunlap commented on the pnr-
! had used plain words and toiI unpicasant
truths Mr., Hall said 10 Mr.. Dunlap. You
have compelled ne pnrson to come here hNo or
" i you say that you area liar" Mr.. Dunlap
replied according To- ne parsoRs story,
his son and Mr.. Green contains these express
sions that are not found in the parsons recol-
lection Of what was said: Mr.. Clark said, " Mr.,
Dunlap, you have stolen my money and tho
money Of the church for tho last two years;
, Il told him" Mr. Dunlap swears. that made
out report year ago. lie repied, That re-
. port, was all mixed up mess, end was hYed up
, | Tor the OCCASION lie sad, you ufe NUf, q
rascal n scoundrei. "A man OF no character and
disgrace TO society and when ! said had
treated him Ike Il gentleman, he replied. fcs.
like, a .gontlemanl stealing my money all tho
while"
Z Within ten minutes after the quarrel occur,
red Mr.. Dunlap lOtted down memorandum OF
what the parson had said. and. going over
TO Mrs. Green's counter. read 4 IA
TALLY agreed with =, her, recollection Of
, what was said. Mr.. Dunlap hnslcncd
to the Office Of Justice Goddard and brought
n suit for slander against Parson Clark iOI
damages iu the sum OF 500. He employed
, Gen. Noble 10 prosecute the suit, parson
Clark retained Bridgepor's Prosecuting Attor-
ney. j. g. Chamberlain, A demurrer was in
terpOscd. and the cnse WAS sent up 10 the Court
I Of Oyer and Torminer to be tried by Judge
: | Hall. Then extra counsel were engaged on
both sides, Henry $. Sanford for Dunlap. and
a GOODWIN Stoldnrd for MIR. Clark. These are
= tho leading lawyers Of the town. The case AT
| once became the theme of local gossip and dis,
/ cusson. Men and women from Ohyct Chape!
a | arrived at court early every day and occupied
q | all the seats. AS many OF the other inhabitants
| of Bridgeport MS could find standing room
/ | heard the testimony on foot. All that was ill'
tercsting in the testimony has bean related
Parson Clark testified Ia what he Ind said IN
- | calm, clear tone and seemed confident that hls
i | recollection WAS accurate. llo is tall, thin