The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-17
RUFFIANISM RAMPANT.
A PLACE OF WORSHIP IN TIE
HANDS OF A MOB.

Church-Rev. a. Ellis Barely Rscape
With His Life-Bloody Heads. Pui
Dit Demolished and Wreck and Ruiz
Inside the Edif1ce-Knives and Re
volvers Flourished Inside, and Pts
tolls Used Outside the Building
Such disgraceful scenes in a place of pub
lie worship have seldom been seen as thos
which were witnessed in the Greene Square
African Baptist church yesterday morning
between the hours of and o'clock, aftel
incessant wrangling and pickering from
O'Clock Of the evening before.
HOSTILE ONSLAUGHT.
Broken chandeliers, broken windows,
benches wrenched from their fasteniugi
and wrecked furniture are mute witnesses
Of the lawless acts which stampeded the
congregation. The pastor saved his life by
precipitate flight from the rear, protected
by his friends, who received the blows in
tended for the minister.
At about 2 o'clock yesterday morning
w. r. Fields, one of the ex-deacons, moved
10 appoint John F. Jones chairman Of the
meeting, and J. r. Rutledge seconded the
motion, upon whice Hosea Maxwell jumped
up and put the motion and declared it car
ried without any effort to learn what the
vote was The pastor Of the church re-
manned in the chair and showed no signs OF
surrendering it, when, as il by precon-
certed arrangement, Maxwell, Rutledge,
Andrew Berry, Charles Baker, William
Harris, Peter Morel, Sawney Nelson
and a fellow by the name OF
Young made rush to drag the
pastor from his seat. In their rush Henry
Burney, one Of the pastors friends, was hit
over the head, the blow intiicting severe
CASH Frank Lindsr. also the pastors friend,
received blows in the head and face and was
knocked down, and Charles b. Morse, the
clerk of the conference, who sided with the
pastor, was cut over the eye, and several
others were hurt.
THE READY REVOLVER.
One man fed down Price TO State street
pursued by one of the ruffian crowd, who
halted as the pursued turned down State
street, and fired at the fleeing man. In
side the church riot ruled the hour,
women screamed, men, beaten and
bloody, jumped out of the windows with
chairs flying after them as they made their
exit A desperate effort was made TO over
take the pastor in his flight, but he was
hurried out the back way and to his home
by score of determined men who Gov
cred bis retreat.
Chief of Police Green, who resides On
President street. only few blocks removed
from the church. said he could hear the row
very plainly. He visited the church some
time after the meeting began and spent
some time there, but went back
home and retired about IL O'clock.
About 2 O'Clock be was awakened
by the shouts and yells in that direction,
and got up and went down there again,
Just as the squad Of police under Sergt.
Lingg were coming up. Chief Green says
that the row was a terrible one and could
he heard long ways off.
BLUDGEoN, KNIFE AND PISTOL.
One of the policemen who was stationed
at the church. and ran in at tho beginning
of the row, said that the scene was a wild
one. Chairs and the backs of benches were
freely used, and knives and pistols were
being hourished One fellows head
was bloody from a blow and an
other had his cheek laid bare
with q knife. One old, gray-haired
brother who was trying to escape was being
pelted with chairs, which would knock him
down as fast as he could get up. The
policeman said that if Rev. Ellis had not
escaped by the rear exit he would have
been killed.
The church presented a decidedly torn
up appearance. The pulpit had been
thrown down, one of the chandeliers
was broken off, benches were over
turned and chairs we're broken and
scattered about. Shawls were scattered
all over the floor, where they had been left
by the sisters. There is "a belief among
some people that Ellis Will be killed before
the trouble is over.
MUCH ADO ABOUT A TRIFLE.
Rev. Alexander Ellis was seen yesterday
by MORNING NEWS reporter and quite
lengthy interview was had with reference
to the troubles which have afflicted the
church since last April, and which cul-
minated in the riot of night before last
What was the original cause of the
church differenceF' he was asked.
THE acceptance of the resignation of
five deacons, viz: o. Maxwell, Robert H.
Thomas, John r. Rutledge, William r.
Fields and James H Rogers"
hat was the cause of their resigna-
tionr
st grew out of the failure of the church
to indorse resolution which asked
the church to depose me. The
trouble was that there was personal mis-
understanding between myself and Charles
r. Waters, a member of the choir. result
ing in my excluding him from the privileges
of the choir, which had the official right
to do, he having spoken both discourteously
and impertinently to me before the congre-
cation. This was the result of my asking the
three male members Of the choir why they
did not rise in their places and take part in
the song at the close of the evening service.
Waters answered impertinently and during
the remarks that passed between US indirect
ly gave me the lie. whereupon informed
him that he would be excluded from the
privileges of the choir. Going out of this
colloquy a charge Of unchristian con
duct was made against me by him to the
prudential committee.
REFUSED TO BE DISCIPLINED.
1.-THE committee referred the charge Co the
board of deacons of the church, and the
deacons notified me to meet them with the
person who had made che charge. To
this l demurred, stating as my rea-
son that the matter was purely
personal and did not come within their
jurisdiction at that stage. assuring them
that l was willing to meet them as deacons
at any time for conference. Next, thew
ordered the clerk to summon me for breach
of discipline. | refused to appear befor @
them and they took the matter to the
church, asking the church to depose
me. l defended my action before
the church TO its entire
satisfaction, and the church acquitted me
of the charge by defeating the resolution.
This was in the month of April.
In June the five deacons mentioned ten
dered their resignation without assigning
any cause. Their resignation was accepted.
A QUINTETTE OF WEATHER WAVES.
"At the following meeting the five ex-
deaeODS aDDaared in n hodV hafOre the