Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-07-23
NOT PROVED.
No Evidence Against Him. But Rev.
Shumaker Resigns.

No Evidence Against Him. But Rev.
shumaker Resigns.
Amer the services at the Reformed
church at Trappe on Sunday Rev. Or.
Shumaker presented to the consistory his
resignation as pastor, TO take effect at once.
The resignation was accepted.
The consistory passed a resolution, stat
ing THAT while DIR. Shumaker was not
sufficiently guarded in his visitations upon
Mrs. Diencr there's Is not sufficient ground
upon which to formulate a charge against
him, and we therefore dismiss the case. "
The Norristown Register says that the
investigation showed that since hast Janu-
AIRY the visits made, including attendance
OF Dr. Shumakcr at "A sale OF Mrs. Diener's
goods, were some eight or nine In number;
that he first went 10 see her at the
suggestion of members of the church, the
wife and daughter of a deacon that other
members of the church were on visiting
terms with Mrs. Diener, that she was a
proper person TO visit, that the visits were
never later than between and o'clock
in the evening, that upon at least one
occasion Mrs. Shumaker accompanied
her husband; that at no time when
he visited was Mrs. Diener alone, but that
always, either her father or mother or both,
aud her son, lad Of some 10 years, were
in the house, frequently In the room that
the conversations related To spiritual mat
ters, he trying TO induce her TO join the
church, and falling in that, to induce her
To Join Mrs. ShumalSer's Bible class. The
visits were not clandestinely, but openly
made, and none of the witnesses thought
that there AZ any impropriety in them until,
out of revenge toward Mrs. Diencr, wicked
rumors were circulated.
The only act of impropriety alleged was
that Miss Miranda Fry saw DIR. Shumaker
kiss Mrs. Diener on the porch as he was
leaving on May q. She says the door was
open and the light fell In upon them and
she saw II, but Sterling Rhoads, whom she
had called into the yard to watcn, and who
was there with her, says he saw no kissing,
that the doctor came out, said good even
ing, passed through the yard TO the pike
and TO his home and Miss Fry and Rboads
both agree that this was the only time they
were together or watching. DIR. Shumaker
and Mrs. Dicner both deny that or any
other inpropriety between them. II IL due
further TO state that Miss Fry and Mrs.
Diener are not on good terms.
The last visit was on Tuesday evening
June 4th, the day the doctor returned from
Chassis. AZ DIR. Shumaker came out TO
the pike from visit to Elder wiekle, who
was sick, Mrs. Diener and her mother
called him. Mrs. Dlener informed him Of
rumors that had been circulated while at
Chassis and asked him to come in for an
explanation. He, indiscreetly with this
knowledge, did so without taking mem
ber of the consistory with him. Then
Miss Fry and others watched the house.
When he came out Miss Rocker, who was
out at the gate, says she heard bolt drawn
and he and Mrs. Dioncr came out of the side
door instead of the front that Mrs. Die
ner advanced TO see If the coast was clear,
and then the DIR. passed out; the watchers,
Miss Fry, Miss Kooken and Mrs. Pugh.
followed him down tho pike to below the
church; they say he passed beyond tho
hall. He says that he entered the church
yard and To the parsonage by the side en-
trance. None testify to any impropriety
whatever. The public will thus see how
gossip, inspired either by malice or the
love of the sensational. can injure and de-
stroy the usefulness Of minister, dist ract
church and injure the cause of religion.