The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-06-16

AON!ttt> ~ uttty Wv A)V"t Nft|t' JSo WV
Suspended from the Church and Mi,e-
sst,y-A True Statement Of the Fucts
IN the Cusc-A Hired Girl at the Bot
tom Of 1t.
Our entire community has been on
the qui viue for the past few days over q
church trial that has resulted in the
suspension of q member and local
preacher of the Park NJ. Z. Church of
this place, aud 50 varied and extrava-
CANT are the reports being circulated
that we have taken measures to place
ourselves in possession of the real facts
in the unhappy affair and now give
them to our readers.
CHARLES F. SHELDON,
the subject of our story, is 4 young
married man of about 80 years of age,
and 4 native of Wisconsin. He came
to Hornellsville about the middle Of
October last, to assume the management
Of the R. r. Y. M. G.. A. rooms, in the
place of Mr.. milford, transferred to
Chicago. He had been !. member Oh
probation, as well as a loca! preacher of
the Minnesota NJ. Z. Church for y year
previous to lis coming to Hornellsville,
and shortly after his arrival and upon
certificate us local preacher, he was
received as a
MEMBER OF THE PARK NJ. e. CHURCH,
and enjoyed the confidence Of the entire
society and community.
While Mr.. Sheldon WAS not finished
scholar, he possessed to an unusual de-
gree. qualities of head and heart that
made him q speaker of more than orui-
nary ability; he was earnest and even
eloquent, !illiny the pulpit of the N. T..
Church on several occasions with great
acceptability to all who listened to him
he continued to grow in influence and
popularity until about two weeks ago,
when it was discovered that he had
beeu taking steps to
RID HIMSELF OF HIS WIFE,
and making great efforts to induce her
to return with their youngest child--a
babe of only a few months of age-to
her father in Madison, Wisconsin.
Further investigation revealed the
fact hat there was a third party in
the affair who proved to be mono other
than
THE HIRED GIRL,
and it was to her care that he tried to
persuade his wife to leave the two older
children, with himself us the RESPONSE
BILE head OF the family annex!
AS to the hired girl who has been the
means Of working SO much misery and
disgrace. it is perhaps not necessary to
speak extendedly, and we will only say
that she entered the family Of ,ir. Shell
don in the capacity of /, servant and
gave entire satisfaction by her industry
and great care and kindness towards
the children.
Mr.. Shcl.lon,i it is claimed 1T once took
deep interest in her spiritual welfare,
and from this time onward, he
COMMENCED HIS DOWNFALL.
From a spiritual adviser he gradually
developed into an infatuated lover, and
seemed to loose all control or care for
his martial VOWS or obligations.
AT the time discovery WAS made Of
his shameful behavior, Mr.. Sheldon was
at Clifton Springs, presumably for the
benefit Of his l,c;;ltli, and It was thither
that, armed with these facts, the Rev.
G: ". Winchester, pastor OF the Park
N. =. Church, went to confront and
t'ii<-i &c ll1lil with has (oII"
duct. This was on Wednesday, May
25th. Upon being thus taken to task
by his pastor, the man, instead of show
would naturally be supposed, actually
ATTEMPTED to Justify his course by claim: :
ing That lie lad never loved his wife,
and had only married her because her
friends had told him that it would break
t,n,. hnnrt ~ 1,o1 AL Tn h<>i,11u
claimed
Ills LOVE FOR TIE HIRED GIRL!
and said she was the only woman that
had ever possessed his heart.
His pastor charged him with every
thing short Of open adultery, which the
man did not evidently deem of sufficient
Importance to deny; he WAS urged to re-
pent, retrace his steps and to leave Hor-
neliSVille. but he refused To promise any
reform or to mend his outrageous
course.
Mr. Winchester returned on the fol-
lowing day, May Goth; on Friday, May
9th. Il bill OF charges WAS made by the
following prominent members of the
church: citing Mr.. Sheldon to appear
for trial upon the same on Friday even
ing, June 3rd: DR.. Samuel Mitchell,
George Hollands, VIM. O'Connor, d.
X. Belknap.
TIE CHARGES.
F;rst-For marital unfaithfulncss, il
trying to put away his wife contrary to
tue law OF God: and in declaring his
purpose to obtain a divorce ul, ullscrjp-
tural grounds.
SeconI-J,asciviousn in irdu]ying
md ~ int i,,,nou unfit, Lie LII ~
and III declaring his love for her.
THE TRIAL.
The trial came off ut the Park NJ. E.
Church parlors on Friday evening, June
81. before the following named gentle
men as jurors, all Of whom are members
OF the church and licensed local preach
ers: G. ". kress, a. r. Alis, &. II.
Mead. llorneIlsvilIt; e. II. Norris, T..
u. Chase, Of Cameron.
AS the Rev. MIR. Winchester was one
OF the principal witnesses OH the part
OF the church, the Rev. -. ". Gates. of
Cani3teo, presided by appointment of
the presiding Elder. In addition, to the
Rev. Mr.. Winchester the Hon. Horace
Bemis was the only other witness on the
part Of the church and he also appeared
as counsel and conducted the trial
throughout with lis usual sl,rewdness
and great legal ability.
Mr.. Sheldon conducted his own case
and produced! as witnesses. himself. Mrs.
S.cIAon, and the hire<! girl, Miss Carrie
Wilcox.
The evidence on the part of the church
seems to have been conclusive Oh every
charge and specification; while that OF
the defendent was weak. lame and i'm