Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-03-13

land for culture and intellectual refine.
ment, and ability to discern the qualifca
lions Of minister. Formerly Mr.. Smitl,
had been OF that church and the speaker
testified personally to the tact that Mr.
Smiths aooeptation to that congregation
was hatanding testimonial to his fitness for
ministering to a cultured people. Mr..
O'Neil had heard men and women of that
Princess Anne Church reiterats their
admiration of Mr.. Smiths qualifications
and the deep regard i'll which he is held
to this day. During the war he differed
with many of his people on the
political questions and took de.
oided stand in the matter. His
congregation, while many differed in
opinion, respected his manhood, admired
his independence, and esteemed him as
an earnest, intelligent pastor, and will
testify their esteem by giving him large
audience at any time he might see fit 10
60 among them and preach agsin.
Applause
The bishop reminded conference that
the question before it was whether the
proffered parchment and resignation of
Mr.. Smith should be accepted or rejected
1t WAS moved and seconded that Mr.
Smish be requested to withdraw his with
drawal and leave the question of subss.
quent action with conference. This was
passed unanimously by rising vote.
1t was then directed upon vote that
Mr.. Smiths case be postponed, that he
might consider the request Of conference.
Mr.. Smith arose and with difficulty
oonoealing his emotion, conveyed his ap-
probation at the action of conference in
his CASE, but he would not continue on
the supernumerary list and stated that
he could not aocede to the request ex-
pressed by the vote Of conference, unless
he was given active duty. [Murmurs of
approval and sympathy, lie oonclud ed
asking that his parchments be accepted.
t"No Mol mol" from members. The
case was then left for conferences action
as ordered.
The bishop introduced Hon. Eli Sauls-
bury, the Revs. Parker, Thomas and
Davis.
The committee on the Rev. J. Conner 8
case sent in the following names to con
stitute the select members The Revs
J. W. Hammersley, T. H. Haynes, j. E
Bryan, C. w. Prettymap, D. +. Wadell,
g. W. Townsend, J p. Otis, B. f. Price,
P. H. Rawlins, W. Underwood, J Carrel,
J. Warthmap, W. K England, j. O.
SypheId and + G. MoSorley.
The bishop then called for the osse
against W. ]. 0'Neil, charged with defa.
nation of character and ialsebood in re-
gard to The church property and utteriug
slanderous words in conference The de-
fenHe asked that the charges be dismissed
because they were too general to be sus-
tanned. The accused has no personal diff
ference with the acousers and the whole
tendency ofthe matter is as TO the church
property.
The Rev. A. W. Lightbourne, counsel
for the prosecution, made a statement of
the case, setting forth that Mr.. PhUbus,
acting officially, sold the parsonage prop.
erty Of Princess Anne parsonage. Next
conference he reported having sold the
property aud the investment OF the
money. The quarterly conference ed
vised that the money be given the annual
conference. 1t subsequently appeared
thst Mr.. p 1 BUS owed I'll 100 ont of this
transaction, and offered security in his
notes, which was refused. 1t was
then demanded that he be Obliged
to complies his money transaction with
conference and that the purcha ser be
given dsed on the property. 1t was
discovered just as the tratsfer was being
made, that the then board oftrustees was
Unqualified to make tue transfer, through
certain laws of the Maryland legislature,
MIR Pl@bus' counsel having Ger aimed
that that board OF trustees had
not qualified as legal successors 10
previous boar1, special law was
subsequently passed Incorporating a
bo rd Of trustees, eLablins this otuich to
avoid the difficulty, in order that the
transfer might be made, Altar tho PASS
ing of thi law, Mr.. Pbmhus' notes wsre
accepted al security tor the de-
tcienoy. Testimony of witnesses
WAS taken. 4. s. Williams testified
that ia conversation with W. J 0'Neill
the Latter had said that tho irregularities
II the report t, Quarterly Conference
were 30 patent that they would teal
Princess Aune circuit TO pieces !; that
0'Nsil said that &essrs. Foxwell and
White had taken two leaves out of the
record that 0'Nsil bad DETAINED thu
characters of local preachers
The Rev. J. A. b. Wilson testified thai
he had appointed time aud place fol
MIR. o'Neil's examination, giving him due
notice aud furnishing him WITH COPY o
theI charges. The defense obj soted to tn,
testimony on the ground that Deposition
were taken b-fore the arraign
meut that the accused was no
properly indicted aud that he die
not recsivs proper specification
of charges. a letter from the Rsv. J. D
Kemp OF the defense was read stating tina
Mr.. 0'Nsil had waived trial before pre-
siding elders commission and was salts
fed to submit himself to annual confer
ense; also stating that the defendan
pleaded not guilty. The defense rebuttet
that 0'Neil had no power TO take such
course aud that his statement should b.
consider imperative The bishop decided
that the presiding elder's action in taking
| depositions before the arraignmeut should
| be rulei out. 1t was decided to hold q ses
sion this afternoon, when the case will b.
resumed. Previous TO adjournment, thu
conference treasurer was given permits
sion to make disbursements az directe d
At IL O'Clock conference took reces
until LAS p. m.
In the afternoon, subsequent t
religious exercises Q Inference heard tn
evidence in the case of the Rev. W. J
O'Neil. Mr.. Foxwell OF Princess Ann
Church, stated that he bad been mem
Der of the official board OF Princess Ann
Church since 1919; that the oommitte
had received 81, 740 72 out of whiol
several disbursements had been made
| Mr.. Foxweil lad been ordered by confer
encs to be trustee OF Mr. Whites pote
| At the quarterly conference Mr.. O'Nei
read paper containing the statement
referred to, defamation, ialsehood, &c)
The witness also deposed that the passag
of the character of Mr.. White was con
tested in conference on account OF thi
parsonage business. He heard the &C
oused state that fraud was intended to b
placed on the shoulders of the Rev. Dl
Pbnbus. He stated that the propert
had been i'll gslly sold and that the Rsv
7. 8. Williams was responsible for a.
this trouble; that 1t would tear up Pfir
Gers Anne circuit.
Hon. T. 8. Hodson, Cris6eld, Md, wa
introduced as witness. The defens
objected to him in the character OF a
expert lawyer. The bishop ruled i
favor of the defense stating that the law
of MARYLAND sre on the table and coul
be made uee OF.
Mr.. Hodson stated that the parsona
house was rotten and the whole propert
not worth 5000. The defense here state
that it WAS their wish as the proseoutio
had shown no seintilla OF evidence on th
chief count OF falsehood and defamatio
of character and as the elements supper
ing the charge do not exist that the cas-
20 before conference as 1t stands.
hftar oopuidar bla diaonssion mo