The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-24
Gladdens story, and people were beginning to

Gladdens story. and people were beginning "a
believe him iLeonard) liar.
THAT is not the case" said Mr.. Schaeffer.
''his conversation with me- on his return last
Saturday, was an explanation of the affair,
which places him in a more favorable light than
the rumor you speak of. If you will report nv
conversation verbatim. and submit it to me,
before publication, will talk with you
This promise was readily made, and Mr.
Schaeffer proceeded reluctantly: II am an
ardent admirer of Dr. Leonard, and believe him
an able and conscientious minister. / know OF
no stain his private character, and believe
that there is still something unexplained about
this ale and toast story that will put him in
more favorable light AS | said before, his con-
versatlon with me was explanatory. and he held
others OF the same nature with other mem bers
Oh the congregation. The affair occurred so long
ago that his memory is not at all clear on the
suoJect He admits the material points of drink
Ing the ale and eating the toast, but doesn't
remember that it was at camp-meetinp He ia
confident that the story about sitting on a log
behind bush, with another standing guard is
false. because these are circumstances of such q
nature that they would have impressed them
selves upon his memory and he has no recollec-
ton of them. he says that GLADDEN. procured
the ale and toast for him, but that they
were taken on the advice of Gladden's physician.
He thinks that he was only at the camp meeting
one day with Gladden. and is under the impress
sion that the ale was drunk at Gladdens house"
After pause Mr. Schaeffer proceeded: 81 have
the most implicit faith in DIR. Leonards honesty
and sincerity, and l think he told me the truth
as he remembered it,
The fact that he drank ale by the advice of a
physician is not what they object to, but they
think he was overhasty. and made great mis-
take in calling Gladden's story Infamous
he' in his telegram They think his denial COW
cred too much ground, and now it places him in
an embarrassing position to admit Gladdens story
partially true.
The above report was submitted to Mr..
Schaetfer, and received his approval before being
printed. He was rather rueful about being COM
PEELED to talk at all, and seems to think that the
conference is the only proper place for the story
to be investigated
There is great deal of difference of opinion
among the prominent Methodists of this city as
to the final outcome of this affair." and its effect
upon DR. Leonard's connection with the church.
Some of the opinion that he will be relieved
of his charge as pastor of the Central Church,
and others that the conference will ignore it al
together Most of them are uncertain as to the
result, but sure that the conference will take
cognizance of the case One of the prominent
members of the Central Church embodied the
opinions of the majority this morning follows
"ASthe case stands it has reached such a
point that the next conference cannot pass it by
without an investigation of the story. He has
denounced the statement of Mr.. GLADDEN., one of
tho members of his church, as an infamous lie;
and Mr.. GLADDEN. has reiterated his statement,
thus indirectly giving the lie to DR.. Leonard.
When, In the conference, the Bishop solemny
asks whether there is anything against the char
acer of DR.. Leonard, with the elder in charge Of
the characters of the ministers and one hundred
ministers sitting about. all perfectly aware of
these facts, there must be some investigations