St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-06
SAINT PAUL MATTERS.
Rev. John Walton, Accused of Criminal
Assault, Acquitted by a Council of
Seven Ministers.
To-Day the Public Schools Will Open
and the Work of Another
Year Begin.
senator A, p. German is in st. Paul
and Hobnobs with Local
Politicians.
Mss Kate Field is Fond of Horses
1t showed in Montana
Notes.


u A MINISTER ACQUITTED.
Rev.JOhu walton Found Not G uilty
of the Charge OF Criminal As
Sault.
Rev. John Walton. of st. Paul, who had
been charged with committing rape the
complaining witness being twelve-year-
old Girl at Wadena, was acquitted by the
seven ministers before whom the trlal was
held. The ministers were the ReYS. Robert
Forbes. c. A. Van Anda, f. j. wagner
l.. Pitner. b. F. Kephart, +. .. Holman,
F. ]. Van Fossen and w. W. Satterlee.
The trial was completed on Friday, when
the verdict of not guilty was arrived at' Ii
was conducted with closed doors ana tne
Rev. T. o. Holman was authorized TO pre-
mare a statement for publication III all the
newspapers. This has not yet peeh
sent out. The meeting was an
adjourned one, and the principal business
was the reading of the testimony Drought
ont in the civil trial, and listening 10
statement from Rev. MI. Walton, the ac-
cGSed.
The charge of rape was preferred py the
Young girl about sixteen months ago. lnne-
diateIv ON the close of a series of revival
The case came ND in the district court and
the Jury found the defendant guilty All
erw9rd. by reason of some rulings, the
iudre granted new trial, the verdict hav-
inc been set aside on July q, 1855. In
November last the case came up again. and
a. none of plaintiffs witnesses appeared
cnarge of venue to Detroit was granted.
In lime last. when the case was to have been
tried. none of the complaining witnesses
apppared and the case was dls-
missed. Meantime Mr.. Walton came
IN ST. Paul. and when he applied
for a church. the matter was investigated
by the above named clergymen, appointed
nv Presiding Elder Chaffee. Beside the
evidence produced in court at the former
trial. Mr.. Walton produced evidence Fiji
dav. showing that some or the jurors mao
periured themselves prior to the trial ana
were known to be hostile to him. In his
statement he outlined his course of con-
duct since the charge was made, having
challenged careful investigation and con-
slstently maintained his innocence.
MIR. wALroN's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Walton lives on Ohio street in st.
PauI. He was seen by GLOBE reporter
YESTERDAY in regard to the case and while
he said he did not care to rush into print he
gave his idea of why the charges had been
brought. st was just a week after
I had closed a series OF reYl-
val services" said he, ''that this
Young girl made the charge. In my opinion,
behind all the influences that led her to dc
1t were some liquor dealers OF Wadena, who
did not look upon my meetings with favor.
l said nothing, but challenged an nvestl-
CATION. l have good evidence that 81, 900
was offered the girl, or rather her parents,
to prosecute the suit against me. L have
also the written statement of a reliable
person to the effect that the principal wit
ness in the case admitted that she swore to
a lie at the trial at Wadena. Just who or
what precise cause led to all the trouble l
have not found out. They have brought
against me the charge of having
committed an act which Is repug-
nant to nv whole soul. They have
secured the services of perjured jurors.
They have dragged my name before the
public in the most unfaYOrable light. The
verdict of the jury every one seems to have
taken for granted to be just, and there has
been nothiHg for me to do but bear 1t all,
without being able to prove their charges
false. hope that the same publicity may
be given to the fact of my acquittal that
there has been to the charges brought.
A friend of Rev. Mr.. Walton, discussing
his troubles last evening. said that the COM
mittee to whom the charges was referred
was not unanimous. but majority were in
favor of exculpating him. AS the case
now stands the committee will submit its
report to the conference, which meets in
few weeks. The conference can either &C
cept the report or refuse do do so. In case
the report is not accepted the matter will
be again investigated and a decision arrived
at probably before the conference adjOurns.
The charge against Rev. Walton, which
was also investigated by the same commit
tee in reference to his altering the date on
a railroad pass. has been settled without
taking any evidence. Mr.. Walton ae-
knOwledged that he changed the date on
the pass and throwing himself on the mercy
of the committee. AS to what the action
of the conference would be the gentleman
would not or could not hazard an express
sion.