The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-07-08
An Unjust Verdict.

The Religio- Philosophical Journal, a
Spiritualist paper, and consequently op-
posed to materialism, has this to say
about the troubles Of B. F. Understood.
the free thinker, in Pennsylvania
About two years ago, b. F. Under
wood was invited by liberal society to
give two lectures at Irwin Station, Pa.
| This village is in WestmOreland county,
and in the center Of the most rigidly
orthodox region in the State. A Bishop
OF the Methodist Church had lectured
there, and made "infidelity" the subject
/ of severe criticism. The free-thinkers
/ thought their views aud aim misrepre-
sented by the representative of Christi
anity, and sent for Underwood to come
there and put themselves sight before
/ the public Weeks before the arrival of
/ the materialist, the ministers of the
di fferent churches preached violently
/ against "infidelity," characterized the
announcement Of an "infidep lecture
in that community as an insult to a
/ Christian people, and called upon the
/ people to discOuntenAnce and prevent,
possible, this piece of infidel
effrontery. The schoOl-hOuse-the only
| place to be had was secured by the lib
erals from the President of the School
I Board, who had always rented the
| building for lectures, and all necessary
arrangements were made. Underwood
arrived at the appointed time. The ex-
citement was intense, and the minis
ters, forgetting their sectarian differ
ences, united in using all their influence
/ to stir up the people and prevent the use
Of the schOol-hOuse for the lectures. At
the last moment the Trustees had
meeting and adopted a resolution that
the school-hOuse should not be used for
/ UnderwOOd's lectures. The President
Of the School Board, although an Ortho-
| dox Christian, declared he had entered
into an agreement and made a contract
with the liberals, as he had with others
on previous occasions, and that he was
bound by every legal and moral consid-
Grafton to keep his part of the contract.
Accordingly, he gave the liberals writ
ten permission and authorization to
take possession Of the building. The
lecture was given. There was no dis
tur6ance-nO interruption even. The
discourse, like all the lectures of Mr.
Underwood, was radical in thought but
mild in language. IT was q presentation
of the teachings of science from the
materialist's stand point, in contrast to
the teachings OF theology.
The next evening, few minutes be-
fore the hour of the second lecture, Mr..
Underwood, with two other gentlemen,
was arrested on the charge Of forcible
entry and Oecupationo Of the schOol-hOuse
for immoral purposes. Mr.. Underwood
was released to meet his other appoint
ments on giving the required bail, $500
This case was put off from time to
time until last April, when it was tried
at Greensburg, Pa, and the verdict was
against the defendants, aud damages
found to the amount Of Sl25. The Judge,
an orthodox bigOt, charged the jury
that Christianity being part of the COM
mon law Of the State of Pennsylvania,
the lecture, if IL were anti-Christiau,
must be regarded IS clearly Illegal, and
in that case the contract 6etweeB the
President of the School Board and the
liberal committee was rendered null and
void, and they must find the defendant
guilty. Although there was no damage
to anybody or anything, yet the jury
named the damages at Sl25, which, with
costs, amounts to $500. Ii is a clear case
4 Of persecution, aud we are glad to learn
that Mr.. Underwood has appealed to the
Supreme Court of the State Of Pennsyl-
wanna, which we hope will reverse this
most unjust verdict.