Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-24
A CI.rHGYMA,Ns TRIALS.
Charges of a severe Nature Against
Mr.. Wamboldt-His Firm Denial.


Mr.. Wamboldt-His Firm Denial.
The Jacksonville (Fla.l Times-Union
prints the following fuller account of the
Wauboldt affair than that already con-
tanned in the MORNING NEWS:
The following telegram appeared IN the
New York sun OF July 20:
"CHATTANOOGA, July 19.-The First
Baptist church of this city is agog TO-
night over the disclosures OF correspond
ence which seriously reflects on the prI-
Yate and ministerial character OF the pas
tor, Rev. NJ. NJ. W amboldt. He received
call TO this city from Montgomery,
Ala, IN May. He accepted, though ru-
mOrs of immortality We're atlOat and part
OF the membership opposed him. n week
ago he went TO Florida for vacation,
intending to return with his family,
Meantime letters were recCi ed from a
former wife living in Davenport, La, VINO
makes affidavit that he deserted her in
1874. President Kendrick, OF Shurtlen
College, Upper Alton. ILL.,, says that
WamDOldt was dismissed from that inStl-
tuuOn while divinity student, Tor I'M
morality, and mis- debts in that town re-
main unpaid. y. II. Coates, of Jordan,
MIMI. atiirms that WambOldt went from
there 10 Byron and married second
wife. He took both of them South, The
Troy, Ala, charge he resigned TO escape
a church Investigation. At Eufaula,
Ala, he was charged with lying and sus-
plciOus familiarity with married women.
80 grave were these charges that ID. j.
Pierce, a prominent church member, citl-
zen aud Mason, who died a week ago, re-
fused Mr.. Wamboldps mlnistratlOns at
his deathbad and funeral. Mr.. Wamboldt
10 popular pulpit orator, and general re-
gret Is expressed for bis family. The
charges will be investigated az once"
AS the gentleman referred to above is
well known in this city, he having been
for time pastor of the Tabernacle Bap-
list church, the above telegram will be OF
unusual local interest.
AS Mr.. WambOldt's parents and imme-
dIate family reside here, and knowing
that he himself was here on a visit, a rep
resentative OF the Times Union, after
reading The telegram, determined, If pos
sble, to get his statement. After riding
several miles IN the country he finally
found MIR. WambOldts residence on what
Is known as the East Jacksonville shell
road, about three miles from the city,
about midnight, and awakening the reve-
rend gentleman submitted the telegram
to him to read.
Mr.. " amboldt was very much agitated
and manifested deep signs of Indignation,
and after reading the article exclaimed:
"Tbe whole statement is a tissue Of
falsehOOds. The attack was instigated by
man named Conner, an excluded MEM
Der Of the First Baptist church of Chat
tanocga."
"Were you aware of the fact of the at
tempted scandal before leaving Chatta-
noOga?' asked the reporter.
"1es, and my church has fully investi-
gated every charge, and is not only salts
fled W II n nv innocence bUt that | baVn
been very much prosecuted man. The
only charge in the whole tissue that is
true Is the one in regard to my having
been divorced from my first wife,
"Diu you leave Chattanooga on account
| Of these charges"
mot at all. sir. | am on my vacation,
and expect TO return on Aug. To-"
Has Conner much influence or many
| fOllOwers%'
"He is man of no standing, sir. He
was excluded from the First Baptist
church of Atlanta before coming to Chat
| tanOoga, and after coming to Chattanooga
was relnstated, but bafOTe long was ex-
| Guided from that church. He made a
| threat that he would sink that church
| down to hell at any sacrifice"
Did you resign the pastorate Of the
church on account OF these charges?"
mo, no. simply wrote my resignation
| deacon
with the instructions to present it 10 the
church if he thought that Conner would
succeed in getting up faction against
me in the church and thus destroy my in
| fluence tOr good. AS TO the result of that
! letter of resignation | will give you the
| following letter for publication which
| viii satisfy all as to my standing in the
| church, or whether or not my resignation
was desired Or the charges sustained:
"CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, July Is, 1886.
J "Dy lVumbOidt:
! my DEAR BROTHER-Have shown
! your letter to several of your friends and
the cry is still tor w ambOldt. 1 have also
received your resignation, which | have
also shown around, and in every instance
1t IS not acceptable. Your letter, | be-
lieye, will settle everything, and | believe
! your friends are determined to move
| right on, as they say there is no bright
future to US here without you, and there
is no other WambOldU for them to yet,
Unless 1t is Maj. Dodson, | know of none
| OF your friends VINO are not willing tor
YOU to return, and some have said they
are stronger now than ever on account
OF the attacks of the opposition.
conner Is being denounced here on all
| sides-eVen the opposition say they will
| have nothing 10 do with him. He shO wed
to a friend the Whitfield Walker letter,
| ana ne says IL is the most cutting he ever
saw. | wish there were thousand
| Whitfield walkers. On receipt of this
! telegraph your withdrawal OF resignation.
! We need you, and your friends say come @.
! 1t Is your fight as well as ours. and we
| are looking after your interest as well as
! ours. Write to me, and anything conf
| Denial put on separate sheet. | send
| dispatch Tonight for your comfort and
| consolation. Your friend aud brother,
sc. ). PEAK"
81 wish to deny" continued Mr.. Wam-
! b0ldt, 1.-THE sta.emenJ that l was dis
missed from Shurtlen College. The en-
! tire statement concerning my discharge
| from This college is false and malicious
| from beginning 10 end, and it is also false
that | lett Troy, Ala, TO escape a church
! investigation. While pastor OF that
church it almost doubled it's membership
and efficiency, and on leaving resolutions
OF the most mpiimentary character
were passed touching myself. 1t is also
untrue about my bringing two wives to
Florida. The charges against me have
been fully investigated and the inVestiga-
tons have proved just what / have
stated"
MI. Wamboldt was much exercised over
the publication in tle sun of the above
article, and referred the report to Col.
Whitfield Walker, whom ne said knew all
the circumstances OF the adair. lie also
showed the reporter a number of compl-