Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-18


Mr. Lyman asked DR.. Sunderland if he
| thought the matter had been brought before
this body in regular manner.
| Judge Drake, to answer this question. read
last, from s. B. furpin, representing F. W. Col
| ciazier, calling attention to the claim Of Col
clazler setting forth the facts and stating that
Colciazier wanted only the sum originally
loaned by him, 5000, less the $3.50 paid by
| the church as interest Upon this committee
was appointed to consider and report upon the
| matter
Mr.. Lyman said the Assembly church took
exception to the regularity of the proceeding.
] Mr. Justice Strong read from the laws of the
terry, and held that under their general charge
OF responsibility for the spiritual and moral
welfare OF the constituent churches made this
proceeding legal
Mr.. Lyman said that the presbytery had not
taken the necessary steps for a visitation OF the
Assembly church and the proceeding was irreg-
ular.
DR.. Sunderland defended the regularity of
| the proceeding, dwelling upon the fact that the
| church was represented before the committee.
DIR. HERSHEY LEAVES THE CHAIR.
| In the discussion that followed DIR. Sunder-
land mentioned that DR.. Hershey, the modera-
tor, appeared before the committee and spoke
in behalf of the claimant. Mr.. Lyman and DR..
| Little, having made remarks indicating that
| they thought the moderator should not now
sit in the case presiding officer, DIR. Hershey
| rose and explained his position
| He said the daughter of Mr.. Colclazier asked
| him to appear before the committee for them.
| He objected because he was moderator, but
| subsequently, upon receiving the assurance of
the chairman of the committee that that would
make no difference, he went before the COM
mittee. He appeared before the committee,
he said, not as counsel. but merely for this old
| man who invalid. He spoke then
briefly, merely to the moral aspects of the
case. DR.. Hershey, continuing, said that as
there appeared to be some objection now to
his presiding, he would resign the chair. He
thereupon called DR.. Childs to the chair, and
took seat among his brethren on the floor.
SHOULD HAVE OBJECTED BEFORE.
DIR. Sunderland, proceeding, said the As
sembly church had acceded to the propriety and
regularity of the appointment of his committee.
He claimed that the church should have
brought its objections before the committee.
He thought it was too late now. This was not,
he contended, a trial 1t was an inquiry into
the nature OF a transaction, its moral aspect,
and the relation borne to it by this church.
1t Is a trial" said Mr.. Lyman, land a judg-
ment of the Assembly church in this matter"
1T is no such thing" said Judge Drake en-
phatlcaliy. 1T is no such thing"
They report statement of the case" said
Mr. Lyman, land recommendations in the form
of a judgment"
They enter no judgment against this church
at all, continued Judge Drake.
After some discussion point of order being
raised DIR. Childs ruled that the question be-
fore the presbytery was whether the whole pro-
ceeding should be dismissed.
DIR. sUSDERLAND's STRONG LANGUAGE.
'If you want to hang this skeleton up in the
Presbyterian closet" said Dr. Sunderland, Ito
hang there for all time to come, more scandal
lous and more disgraceful to the Presbyterian
in ON hon 70,
this case. but if you want to settle this matter,
if you want to pacify this ghost, that has been
haunting us for thirty years, you will let this
matter go on.
This presbytery will be involved in the same
moral delinquency that this church how stands
In before this community, If it displiss this
case
DIR. Hamlin maintained that the only matter
now before the presbytery the question of
technically raised by Mr.. Lyman.
Judge Drake held that MIR. Lyman in his
paper, in urging the reason why the case should
be dismissed, opened the whole question upon
its merits.
Dr. Sunderland asked an aye and nay vote
on Mr.. Lymans motion to dismiss, remarking
that those who wish to have the thing buried
not beyond the power of resurrection, be-
cause 1t will be up tomorrow morning again
will vote to dismiss
ANOTHER SIDE TO THE QUESTION.
DIR. Bartlett thought it unfortunate that these
exceptions should be taken, for he thought the
presbytery would discuss this matter dis
passionately. He thought there was another
side to the question, that the church could not
arraign the presbytery for not having cleansed
it before. He thought that after they had tried
the church they had better try the presbytery
for its neglect.
The vote was taken and the presbytery was
unanimously against Mr.. Lyman's motion, the
representatives of the Assembly church not
voting.
THE REPORT DISCUSSED.
The discussion of Judge brakes motion to
adopt the majority report was then resumed
DIR. Sunderland taking the floor, or rather
position on the platform beside the moderator
Before he began Rev. Mr.. Little asked that Mr.
L: u. klmbaL be permitted to represent the
church, as he was familiar with the case. This
was granted.
DIR. Sunderland read long manuscript
speech in favor of the majority report. He
referred, in the course of his remarks. to state
ments he had formerly made seriously ques-
tioning the integrity of the former pastor of
the church, Rev. Mr.. Caruthers and also refer
ring to the trustees who had made the loan as
bogus trustees" He said he had ques-
toned Mr.. Caruther's conduct upon
learning that. though a single man,
he had contracted debt, and had had claims
against him bought up at so cents on the dol
lar-facts that led DIR. Sunderland to believe
x.
Facts he had learned in the present inquiry he
said, had led him to modify his opinions in
some respects and had removed some erroneous
impressions. The fact remains, he said, that
he consented to the securing of the money
from ColclaZier by Offering him security
what he must have known was an utterly WORTH
less paper. He thought the supposition that
they were ignorant of the character of this
paper was too violent to be paid. AS to his
personal debts, he thought they were now hon.
oraby explained by the fact that his salary was
never promptly and fully paid, and for the most
of the time he had to shift for himself.
DR.. Sunderland read on until 1890 o'clock,
when a recess was taken for an hour.
DIR. SUNDERLAND STATES THE CASE.
As the members of the presbytery were leav-
ing, and DR.. Sunderland was rolling up his
manuscript ''blunderbuss," the doctor gave one
of his quiZZical looks at The STAR reporter
and then said. with a laugh: ''The Assembly
churchs plea is like that in the
kettle case. Haven't you heard it?
claim was made against a man
for kettle it was said he had borrowed. He
came into court with three pleas: list, that he
had never borrowed kettle; I'd, that the kettle
was broken when he borrowed it; Sd, that the
kettle was whole when he returned it." Then
DIR. Sunderland thrust his blunderbuss into his
pocket and followed his brethren out of the
church.
DIED OF SHAME.-James ID. Hayes, formerly
connected with the Pennsylvania and Grand
freight claim bureau scandal with Alfred Post
81 IN, Cain ,t,h@ -