Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-01-07
DE. BRIsron's LArntT TnoUBLp
"A Mob Threatens 10 Tar and scatter
Hahn In the Court-lkoons.

The hey. Or. George X. Brlrtor OF |
Spring Valley, NY, was arrested yester-
hay on warrant issued by Justice |
Gemmel, accusing him of betraying Ida |
Downes, q simple girl who was serving in |
the clergyman's family. The girl was in |
dentured to him for term of years from |
the Brooklyn Orphan Asylum. The girl
said he had assaulted her three times.
When the warrant wns given to Police
man Charles b. Fisher, who went to the
parsonage, the clergyman was inclined to
resist and refused TO go to the court, but
the muscular officer assured him that
force would be used if necessary, aud
thereupon the clergyman went quietly.
Ida Downs accompanied him, and II num-
Der of church members followed.
The trial was held in Justice Fenton's
court room. He sat as an associate with
Justice Gemmel. Mr.. Edward q. Reames
wns present, representing the Brooklyn
Orphan Asylum. He produced papers
from the officers of that institution de-
manding the return of the girl. There
were about 200 people in the room. The
feeling against the clergyman WAS very
deep and bitter. Immediately after the
justice had raped for order, Mr.. Bristor
nHANbE w AiAn ACob htih hbhOA II hV NOuAh
be allowed to lay before the court certain
papers which were OF his home. Per-
mission was granted. AS he was leaving
the room he said to some of the church
members:
"See that the girl is not molested.
am afraid of that man Gemmel."
On his return with the papers he an
nounced that he would appear as counsel
for the girl. When his appeal was re-
fused he insisted on his demand. Justice
Fenton ordered him to sit down.
II won't sit down" he exclaimed. ~
demand my rights"
Then the justice ordered the muscular
constable to put the clergyman down,
which he did promptly.
Isaac W. Edsall here asked the court for
leave to make a few remarks. He de-
clared TINT, as one Of the citizens of the
town, he demanded that n thorough in
vestigation be made. "Charges of such
a nature us those made by the girl" he
said, ''should not be left to the church Of
which the accused wns pastor.n Mr..
Edsall declared that some of the church
members were trying to cover up the
scandal, but he and many others were de-
terminei that the clergyman should be
tried in criminal court.
The clergyman interrupted the speaker
and some hot wordspnssed between them.
It was thought that they might come to
blows, but the court interfered and MIR.
Edsall was allowed to finish without the
peace being disturbed. Then the Rev.
Mr.. Bristor made complete denial of
the accusation. He said that when he
first heard il he WIS very angry and im-
medately went home. Then he ehided
the girl and slapped her face, whereupon
| the girl ran over to Justice Gemmel's
house. Justice Gemmel was their nearest
neighbor and il was in that house the
| story was concocted. Justice Gemmel
stopped him and turning to Mr.. Reames
the counsel for the asylum, said
Take the girl in your charge and have
her here when the court renssembles."
| The proceedings were then discon'
| tinued, but very few left the room. There
had been a semblnnce of order before
but now the air was full of accusations
Bristor stood in the middle of the ilool
and began making serious charges agains
Justice Gemmell, saying that when thu
girl was at that gentleman's house he hat
kissed her and put his arms around he
neck. Gemmell denied the accusation, ant
told the reverend gentleman that he was
liar.
"See here, Bristor," said one of tn,
men in the crowd you'd better 90 HON,
right away, of we'll tar and feather You.
Mr.. William H. Seward, n friend of tn
clergyman and member of the church
retorted that the man had to much to say
but the man said to him ''Shut mp, o
I'll break your nose"
Things were getting very serious an
it needed but very little for the crowd I
become n mob and treat the preache
roughly. Justice Fenton interfered an
ordered every person out of the room
The crowd fingered on the street, dit
putting and becoming angrier every mC
ment, when Mr.. Schuyler Westerye
called several church members to his sid,
They surrounded the clergyman and too
him to his home in safety.
The Rev. Mr.. Bristor did not produt
Q on his trial the retraction which |
g declared the girl made and signed ju
.. after Che story was first published. Z
9 refused to show the paper. Nobody hi
a seen it, and consequently number
S prominent members of the church r
e signed yesterday.
The feeling among the people is ev
$ IDENTIFY very strong. Presiding Ed,
Y Craig of the Methodist Episcopal COME
+ ence, was at Spring Valley yesterday M
:, ordered II thorough investigation to
e made. The church hearing is set dow
y for Tuesday week. Mr.. Bristor, it
r understood, will plead his own case.
d The Rev. DIR. George Il. Bristor, Pr
S hibitionist, whose ICY ear-old servant, l,
9 Downs, accused him of criminally assault
y ing her. received three persons into Il
Il Spring Valley Methodist Church SUI
day, and administered the commune
service. Before the sermon he said
81 think this is a fitting time for me
p venture to remind you of two things
connection with the evil that has con
upon me; First, that the presiding ED
has declined to hold an investigation,
a spite of my urgent request that he shou
g do so. Second, that / have protestt
: against the action of the official board
this church in refusing to undertake 0
= investigation into the charges mac
= against me.
81 beg you to remember that you a,
: Christians, and to keep calm and quiet unit
. this matter shall be settled. If my actor
6 are not such rs you would wish me
!, take, if | do things you think / ougl
, not to do, or take steps that seem to We
: unadvised, ! want you to understand tn
am entirely in the hands of one wis.,
than myself, and am acting on the advi,
of counsel more experienced than mysel
! because what has happened has made IL
uncertain what course to pursue. AT IL
request of friends / went Sunday
a consult with Judge Fullerton. Any steJ
take will be under his direction. L.
us now forget all the unpleasant thipe
: that have happened, and get our mint
a attuned to enter heartily into the spirit {
6 the services"
: DIR. BristOr's sermon was on the tex
"And they crucified Him.
Presiding Elder J. A. Craig went
, Spring Valley on Friday, and after hen
! ing the story and privately examining IL
: girl Ida Downs, decided, to make no il
, vestigation. Justice Gemmel, who is d
Bristor's next neighbor md is stron
/ Republican, proposes to bind DIR. Bristt
= over for the grand jury if Ida Down
sticks to her story. She has made tw
a retractions. The first one was written o
Tuesday week, the day after the charge
first became public. II read Ms follows
DEC. 10Th, 1885 -Drdr FTiend: | take
all back. was not ruined by DIR. Bristo
Q us | snid. 1t is not true. / think / WI
worried and fretted, which made mo Is
10 me story did. will be obedient cir
Yours, truly, IDA DowSs.
;, This letter was witnessed by Mr.
Bristor, Mrs. Wood, to whom the girl Ina
a made the charges, and by Mrs. Scott
~ The girl made second retraction a
Il the evening of Thursday, December Bis
y before Theodore II. Rend Scbn,,L