Evening journal., 1889-11-04
A PREACHER DISGRACED.
REV. c. 9. GRuBER OF HARRfNG-
TON CONVICTED OF IMMORTALITY.

Though Married He Proposed to EIope
with Miss Mary Porter-Bis Victims
Brother, the Postmaster. Intcrcepts a
Letter-Huried From the Pulpit.
Special correspondence EVENING JOURNAL.
HARRINGTON, Nov 4.-Harrington was
thrown into fever of excitement on
Thursday last at news being heralded
from Greenwood to James A. Smith of
this town that Rev. @. b. Gruber Of the
Methodist Protestant Church of Har-
rington circuit had made love to and pro-
posed an elopement with young lady at
Greenwood.
The Rev. @. B. Gruber is married
man with two children and Is aged
about % years; he is Baltimorean and
was sent to this charge about four
months ago by the president OF the
church, to Gil the pulpit made vacant by
the death of the Rev. John Thompson.
Mr. Gruber is highly educated young
man. is very sociable, aud had won the af-
fections of not only his church, but the
people generally of the entire town.
Three weeks ago he went down to
Greenwood TO hold an extra meeting.
While there he made his home with
David Porter's family. Miss Mary. the
daughter of Porter, and the reverend
gentleman were thrown together con.
siderable and soon were making love SO
openly as to scandalike the entire com.
munity.
On reaching his home here he sits down
and writes a letter Of ten pages and mails
it to the young lady. who of course was
expecting It. Her brother Frank Porter
of Greenwood, who is postmaster, sus
pected there was something wrong ai
soon as his ewes caught sight Of this
envelope, so crammed with manuscript
and 1t wasn't long before he was monarch
of all he surveyed. and Gruber so shame
| fully exposed. The letter was full Of love
and from the tone Of it, was about
as bad as the most ardent Lothario could
pen Il was love unadulterated
After Mr.. Porter and the family hat
discussed the matter, they prepared {,
reveal the whole scandal TO the church
James A. Smith, an oflicialo the church
was the one to whom the letter was given
On Thursday an investigating committe;
met at the parsonage, and when Grubei
found that he had been caught In hi
own net he acknowledged the writing OF
the letter, but was completely prostrates
under the sudden surprise.
Your reporter had an interview will
Mr.. Gruber and in speaking of the matte
he said
II went down among that people will
good intentions; to build up the church
and win souls for Christ was gettinl
along elegantly; but in an unguarde
moment, and through an influence that
never had brought to bear on me before,
then breaking of the sentence abrupt
he walked the floor throwing his arms {
aid fro and crying 'l'm all torn up, III
all torn up"
Then asked Have you determine
as to what course you win pursue for th
! future2'
He replied: ~ have not given tha
matter a thought. am, Of course, don
here sir; have ali the blame TO bear
but there is one that knows all. / thin
! | shall report that postmaster for open
I ing that letter he had no right to ope
: IL nor had | to write II. But ! was nc
myself, surely / was not: / have L
much respect for my wife and litt
children to do anything so wicked IL
|, had been myself. 1t seems to me 81
that was completely mesmerized
The officers of the church here hai
discharged Gruber and now he win hay
to seek other quarters His family hay
the sympathy of the entire church
Warrington Collins was brought froi
the colored church on Saturday nigl
about TO- 30 o'clock, having been Stable
in the back, leg and wrist by John Rusl
also colored. Collins, before having h
wounds dressed, swore out a writ for I'll
arrest Of Rusk, and Constable Wyai
soon had him at the 'squires office. +
acknowledged that he did the cuttinj
but never stated why he did IL. Il
said by the colored folk who saw IL
fight that Collins was very quiet, as l
generally is, and that Rusk, unprovoke,
ran up to him and began cutting hi
up in a fearful manner. kThe Squire hel
Rusk in $500 bail for his appearance
I court. The prisoner then asked permi
I sion TO seek some one TO go his bail, an
{. instead of the constable going with hi
he let him 60 alone Rusk made use
> the opportunity afforded and gave L
bail, but was captured between midnigl
and day and placed in the lookup wher
he only tarried a short time. He brol
out Of his room and has skipped agai
= Constable Wyatt was to take him
Dover jail this morning.