St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-30
HE rs GUILTY.
The Baptist Council Sustains the Charges
of Adultery Against Rev. Dr..
Riddell.
It Recommends That He Be Deposed
from the Ministry and Ex-
communicated.
The West Side Union Discovers Sites
for Six Parks, and Discusses
Horse Cars.
81. p. Rugg in the Ctty--The Wilson
Cardiff Ffght--Police and
Other News.
RrDDELL TO BE DEPOsED.
The Advice of the Council WhIcl
Investigated His Case.

RIDDELL TO BE DEPOSED.
The Advice of the Council which
Investigated His Case.
The council of the Baptist churches OF
Ihis vicinity, convened by the First church
10 investigate the charges of adultery pre-
ferred against their late pastor, Rev. K. X.
Riddell, D. D., closed its labors yesterday
and recommended that he be deposed from
the ministry and communicated from the
church. The public is sufficiently familiar
with the history OF the case, SO
that nothing more than brief cpl
tome of it need be given. Some
time ago G. S. Smith, one OF the mem
bers of the church, had occasion to believe
that Riddell was an untruthful man and an
! imposter His investigations here and IN
RiddelFs former Eastern home confirmed his
suspicious, and he published the result OF
them in pamphlet form. Several other mem
bers of the church believed with him, and
openly proclaimed their views. The
big row followed, the result OF
which was the withdrawal OF MI.
Smith and his friends. subsequently,
Mr.. Smith received further evidence from
places in the East, where the Kew. MI.
Riddell had off1ciated, which was still
stronger than anything before published,
and he issued another pamphlet, giving eX-
tracts in which the Rev. Mr.. RiddelPS char
acter was painted in very dark colors. Inc
church found that it was necessary to rec
ognize the matter and to protect itself, and
i'm order to guard its fair name and do JUS
tice, it commenced an investigation OF the
charges of adultery, which resulted as
above stated.
THE COUNCIL.
The church in order to thoroughly inves-
tigate the facts and sift them to the bottom
convened a council consisting OF the fol-
lowing parties:
st. Paul-Rev. H. c. Woods of the Wood
land Park church, and Deacon ]. G. Wilson OF
the same church; Rev. r. w. Arnold of the
East Side Baptist church, and Deacon NJ. Z.
Cummings, lay member of the same church.
Minneapolis-Rev. Frederick, Rev. NJ. d.
Shutter Rev. T. G. Field, Rev. McLaren,
Rev. W. W. Pratt, and W. T. Chase. ]. A.
Woolverton, L. Palmer, j. B. Croaker, ). ID.
Scott, B. R. Baine and G. L. Morrill,.
This council convened at the chapel of
the church ten days ago and sat with closed
doors. After holding one or two sessions
the council adjourned to meet yesterday,
when it met again. Secrecy was written
upon everything. The silence of everybody
was painfully monOtonouS. On the out
side of the chapel, close to the sidewalk,
sat gentleman in a red chair, guarding
the door. He was goOd-natured and polite,
but silent. No one was allowed to go into
the building while the council was in ses-
sion except those who were members or
officers of the church or witnesses, and
pretty much all that follows. except the
finding, had to be gathered in interviews.
TWO WOMEN.
1t appears that there were two women in
the case, one of whom is married and a
member of another church. She confessed
to her pastor and her physician that DR..
Riddell had sustained immoral relations with
her. This woman's name, while all the
rIlmOrs point to one person, has been so
carefully guarded that it is said it has not
even been mentioned to the council, although
DR.. G.. II. BOardman, who testified before
the council yesterday, is supposed to be the
family physician to whom she confessed.
DR.. Boardman was interviewed, but de-
clined to answer any questions in regard to
the matter, because of his professional con-
nection with the parties.
HE CoNFEssEs.
A short time ago, after it became evident
that it was impossible to conceal from the
public any longer the facts of the case
member of the church wrote
to Mr.. Riddell about it, and he replied that
he twas morally guilty of the offense
charged, but not guilty of the specific act. -
All the afternoon and evening the confess
sion of the woman the admission of Mr..
Riddell, in connection with evidence from
Eastern parties, were under consideration,
and, as above stated, the coun-
ell reached a conclusion and en-
bodied it in writing about II
o'clock last night. A few moments after
the Minneapolis members of the council
hurried out of the chapel to get the 11:3O
train and the newspaper men rushed up
stairs to get the result, which was furnished
as follows:
THE VERDICT.
To the First Baptist Church, ST. Paul. Dear
Brethren: The council convened at your call
to investigate the charge of adultery against
R. R. Riddell after careful inves-
tigation of the evidence in the
case, do find the accused guilty as
charged. In accordance with this, our unan-
imous verdict, we counsel you to depose the
said r. r. Riddell from the gospel ministry
and exclude him from the fellowship of
the church. Z. G. FIELD, Moderator.
G. L.. MORRILL,, Clerk.
CONCLUSION.
Thus terminates for the present this dis
graceful and unfortunate scandal. 1t has
been painful to the church as well as to the
public. The next step will be for the
church to take the action suggested by the
council.
During all these proceedings, it should be
said, DR.. Riddell has been absent He re-
signed his passionate several weeks ago, Just
before the charges were made, and imme-
diately left on account of ''pOor health. -
His present whereabouts are unknown.