Omaha daily bee., 1884-08-27
COUNCIL BLUFFS.
ADDITIONAL LOCAL NEWS.
DlSUNITED BRETHREN.
A Church Having Serious Trouble
with One Of It's Local Preachers,
is Charged with Being Too
Fond of One of the Sisters,
Found Guilty and Appeals.

merchant. In general terms it is sale
that Mr.. Howe has been too familiar
with one of the sisters of the church.
Mrs. l.. II. Jones, whose husband has O
store on Main street, and whose resi-,
depce is Just in the rear of the church.
1t has been said that Mr.. Howe
had planned to get a divorce
from his wife, and Mrs. Jones to
get one from her husband, so they could
follow out a mutual agreement and marry
each other, and that Mr.. Jones for some
reason had also agreed to allow this plan
to be carried out. 1t was reported that
Mr.. Jones was to have a mortgage lifted
off his house by Mr.. Howe, and that
Jones was to take and care for his deaf
and dumb boy, and Mrs. Jones was to
take with her their son Eddie. Such
scandulous talk with its consequent ex-
ageration, made it necessary for the
church, in which both were 80 prominent,
to take some official action. Howe, after
applying for a divorce, asked for a letter
from the church, but they would not let
him go without a trial to determine
whether he vas entitled to a letter.
II FOLLOWING CHARGES
were consequently filed by Rev. j. w.
Harper, one of the ministers of the
church.
Council BLFFFs, Ia, August 19.1SS4.
United Brethren, Church of Council
Bluffs Mission Station, Creston district,
West Des Moines Annual conference.
Charges preferred against Henry Howe,
of said mission for immortality or immor-
al counduct.
Charge 1st-For sueing for a bill of d.
vorce from his lawful wife when he can
not obtain such under Cos
pei principles. Specification.
First, for threats made by
him to his wife on the evening of July
4th, 1884. Specification End. For neg
lecting the company of his wife and seek
ing the company OF another mans wife.
Charge 2nd-For coveting his neigh
boris wife. Specification LIST. For stat
ing that he loved that mans wife and
was determined to have her. Speciica-
ton 2nd. For visiting Mrs. l.. Il.
at Coon Rapids, Iowa, while she
was the wife of another man.
Specification Sd. For being In the
company with Mrs. l.. I'll. Jones alone
between sunset and dark, on or about
Sabbath evening, July 9th, 1884, and
when a certain person went to the same
house where they were, the door was
shut, Henry Howe came out and opened
the door and he and Mrs. Jones seemed
to be very much confused.
Specification 4th. For going and
meeting Mrs. l.. II. Jones at the Mil
waukee depot on Monday evening, Aug.
lst 18th, 1884, and accompanying her
up to her home.
Specification 9th. In his bill for his
divorce from his lawful wife, he states
hat it is for cruel and inhuman treat
men, endangering his life.
The trial took place at the church yes
:erday afternoon. About twenty five
we're gathered there, of which the large
majority were the sisters, only six or
seven of the brethren being present. A
consisting of Otis Haynes, |
Mr.. Green and MI. Bias, acted as a tri-
bunal with w. ii. Clausen as chairman,
and j. M. Harper as secretary. Elder
Johnson, of Illinois, the evangelist, APP
peared as prosecuting attorney for the
church, and Mr.. Howe appeared for him
self. MIR. Howe acknowledged the first
charge, but thought he had done nothing
wrong. He objected to what he termed
heresay evidence, witnesses being intro
duced to show what Mrs.
Jones and Mr.. Jones had told
then. He objec. ed so far as to threaten
to leave the hor Sc, and not attend to the
trial further, but finally concluded to
stay. The chair said he was in great
sympathy with Brother Howe and would
rather give $50 than learn that Brother
Howe was guilty of the charges. He
himself had had conversations with Howe
about this, and advised Howe to with
draw his request for a letter. Howe
told him that Jones and he were good
friends, and that Jones was to keep the
deaf and dumb boy, and eve" the
younger one, meaning by ''we' Mrs.
Jones and himself. Other things were
told him by Howe in confidence and
ne would not tell. He
understood from Howe that it was
a mutual agreement between Mr.. and
Mrs. Jones and Howe. johnson had
talked with Jones, and Jones told
him he did not want to interfere because
he did not want any shooting or hanging.
Jones also told him that Howe was to pay
the mortgage on his house, and have that
and his team clear, and that he and Mrs.
Jones could write to each other when
they wanted to. Brother Howe kept OBJ
jecting to this h~earsay evidence, but he
was overruled.
Sister Dobson also had a conversation
with Jones, in which he told her he
could get a divorce from Mrs. Jones on
the ground of adultery, but that she
couldn't get one from him, and that he
had known of the intimacy for a long
time, but did not want to put Howe out
of his house or get a divorce because he
feared Mrs. Jones would commit suicide.
Mr.. Howe vas sworn and admitted
the conversation with johnson, but de.
MED that he had told him about lifting
Jones mortgage, but that Johnson told
him that Jones had said that. Howe
admitted that his memory was rather
poor but he remembered that part of the
conversation. He said that he stopped
at Mrs. Jones occasionally to rest on
Sunday, for it was such a long walk to
church. He had repaired goods and
done some vanishing for her, and other
business. He went to Coon Rapids on
business, and thought as a brother of the
church he ought to call on Sister Jones
while there.
Brother Howe consulted then out.
side with Mr.. and Mrs. Jones, and
as a result of the conference
Jones appeared and took the stand, and