The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-07-25
FRANKS OF A PASTOR.
He Attempts the Seduction of
the Wife of q Brother
Minister.
The Woman Gives Him Away
and the Church Proceeds
to Investigate.
he Confesses His Guilt, Say
ing: Probably This is
My Weakness"
His Suspension Follows and
He Flees from the Scene
of His immortality.
A Nasty Case in Ali its Phases,
Causing Talk Throughout
the Neighborhood.
The Buzz a Bazoo Reporter
Had Friday Night with
the Woman in the Case.
She, Through Her Husband,
Lays All the Facts Before
the Public,
Which Places Rev. T. J. Shepherd
in Anything but al Envia-
BILE Light.
The Case to be Brought Into the
Courts, When Rich Develop
ments Will Follow.
The Buzz a Bazoo Reporter
Had Friday Night with
the Woman in the Case.
She, Through Her Husband,
Lays All the Facts Before
the Public,
Which Placee Rev. T. J. Shepherd
in Anything but an Envia-
BILE Light.
The Case to be Brought Into the
Courts, When Rich Develop
ments Will Follow.

1t reached the ears of the BAzoO mana
ger, a few days since, that an ugly
case OF scandal had developed at
Mount Olivet church, in Benton county,
nineteen miles southeast of this city, and
on Friday evening a reporter of the "paper
published for the people now on earth"
boarded the narrow gauge train and pro-
ceeded to the point in question for the pur-
pose OF ascertaining all the facts in the
case, and exposing the yillainy OF q Ia.
borer in the Lords vineyard who had at
tempted the preparation of
ATERRIBLE SIN
under the cloak of christianity. Through
the kindness of Conductor Ben Blythe the
reporter was permitted to alight at point
one mile this side of Melton station, or
three-quarters OF a mile from Mt. Olivet
church. The road leading to the edifice
was al length found and few minutes
walk brought the writer up at the parsonage,
where Rev. Wells and his family were
domiciled. In order that the reader NAV
arrive at the true situation, a brief person
mel Of the parties implicated in the scandal
is hereby given, as follows:
REV. N. r. WELLS.
OF the Protestant Methodist church, is a
man thirty-eight years of age, and is known
as "the blind preacher" His family con-
sists Of his wife and five children, four OF
whom are also blind-the oldest being a
girl OF sixteen and the youngest babe.
He is gentleman who has
never enjoyed the advantages of
education, but notwithstanding this
fact his work in the saving OF sinners has
been remarkably successful. He is na-
tive OF Missouri, and has been minister
of the gospel for thirteen years. Seven
years ago he removed to Mt. Olivet from
Webster county, in which county
HEwAs MARRIED.
to Miss Mary p. Daniel. His charge then
consisted oil four appointments, viz: Mt.
Olivet, Flat creek, Zion and Formers
school house. Here he remained for two
years, when he was transferred by confer
ence to Everett, Cass county, where he re-
NAMED year; thence to Henderson. for
two years and then back to Mt. Olivet
for q second term, his year closing last
September, at which time he was placed in
charge Of the Deerfield circuit, and to Rev.
T. J. Shepherd was assigned the duty of
looking after the spiritual welfare of the
Mt. Olivet and other congregations in that
circuit.
MRS. WELLS,
the pastors wife, is one year his Junior,
and is not at all attractive in either man.
ner or appearance. She is illiterate in the
stri0test sense of the word, being scarcely
able to write her own name. She has,
however, borne an excellent reputation as
.k..c Il e
and mother, having the respect of all her
neighbors in the different communities
where her lot has been cast.
REV. r. j. SHEPHERD.
whO figures most prominent in this article,
is the pastor who relieved Mr.. Wells of his
Mt. Olivet charge He is of about the same
age as Wells, and has been minister of
the gospel for fourteen years. He was
horn In Cooper county, and removed TO
Johnson county when q lad. During the
late war he belonged to the 9TH Missouri
regiment, which was commanded by Col.
Jno. +. Philips. While in camp at Green
field, Dade county, he courted a daughter
Of Col. Poe, and was married to her in
Greenfield in 1863, by whom he has six
children. 1t was . double wedding, two
sisters marrying two soldiers, and all was
serene. So much, briefly, for description
of the parties directly interested.
PUMPING THE PASTOR
On the reporter knocking at the parson-
age door, Rev. Wells came forward and
asked him in, when the object of the
writer's visit was made known. He was
at that time surrounded BY his family, to
all of whom he seemed devoted. At 6rst
he was 10th to relate the circumstances of
the sad affair, but BY dint of considerable
percussion on the part of the reporter, he
1t last consented, and in company the two
visited the church, but few yards distant
from the parsonage, where an interview of
an hour was held.
II was plainly to be seen that the rever-
end gentleman was suffering great mental
agouy, and il was some minutes before he
could proceed with his narrative. At last.