Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-03-30
WASHINGTON COUNTY COURT.
The ministerial Scandal case.

The time of tho court from Monday noon,
the 10Th, until last Friday morning at ten
was occupied with the trial Of Simeon f.
Gibbs and wife against the Rev. III. w.
Worthen, in which the plaintiffs seek to re-
cover $4,000 as damages for an attempted
seduction of the female plaintiff. In the
Spring of 1879, the defendant, an elder OF
the Methodist Episcopal church, was station
cd at Northtield by the conference and put
in charge of the Methodist church there.
Among his Pensioners was Mrs Gibbs. Mr.
Gibbs had been a member of the church, but
had withdrawn to scapc expulsion on ac-
count of drunkenness AT the camp-meet-
ing in 1880 Gibbs again experienced re-
| lgion' and was made q probalioner. Be-
| tween that time and August, 1881, the at
tempts at seduction are said by the plaintiff
| to have been made. She testified that Mr..
Worthen visited her very frequently and
made improper advances to her, gave her
musk powders, put her under the influence of
choroform and then took advantage Of her
Inconsistencies, and then furnished her with
extract Of ergot with which to produce an
abortion, should it become necessary. Mr..
Worthen admitted giving the musk powders
and the ergot but he claimed that they were
for the purpose of curing certain complaints
AT length, during the Summer of 1881,
there was trouble between the Gibbs family
and some neighbors named Holt, on ac-
count of charge made by Mrs. Holt to the
church that Mr.. Gibbs had painted his ktch-
en- floor on Sunday. Mr.. Woithen sided
with the Hollis and the affair eliminated in
row at Mr.. Worthen's house in October,
1881. Immediately after this the Gibbs peo-
pie made part of the charges against Mr..
Worthen which they make now, and the re-
suit was the trial of Mr.. Worthen by court
consisting of seven of his brother elders. lie
was unanimously acquitted and the present
suit was soon brought. Mrs. Gibbs was a
witness at the ecclesiastical trial, and said
then that she had stated every charge which
she had to make against Mr.. Worthcn yet
at the present trial, she added the most seri-
GUS of all, which involved the crime of rape.
The reputation Of both the plaintiffs Is bad.
Mrs. Gibbs has another husband now living,
in Enosburgh, and the revelations, which her
husband has made about her when he has
been drunk are anything but complimentary.
she IS good looking wOman-dark hair and
eyes, red checks and tall slender form-of
about 49, Mr. Worlhen is grey headed
father of Il family Of about 80, who stands
high in the Methodist church AS pastor and
preacher. 1t is probable that he will dis
continue the practice OF medicine i'll future,
and confinc himself TO his clerical duties. lie
studied medicine for some time before enter
ing the ministry and has always been accus-
toned to prescribe gratuitousiy for his par
ishoners. His account of all his relations
with the Gibbs people was consistent and
probable, and the impression he left on the
public in the court room, in the bench and in
the bar was very favorable. The case was
very ably tried by Mcssrs James n. john
son, S. c. ShurtlcT and Charles H. Heath for
the plaintiff, and by Mcssrs. Frank Pumlcy,
William y. Dillingham; ard Clarence II. Pit
kin for the defendant. Judge Rediield
charged the jury on Friday morning and cx-
planned 10 them clearly and distinctly the
legal proposition upon which the proper adj
judicalion Of the case depended. The jury
did not return until Saturday morning, when
they reported that they were unable to agree
Judge Redfirld sent them out again. At 2
o'clock they again came in, reported that
they were still unable to agree, and were dis
charged On most of the ballots they stood
eight fol the defendant, 10 four for the plain
tifs. 1t is to be regretted that Mr.. Worthen
was not acquitted. Very few people believe
we plaintiffs assertions.