Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-11
A FIGHT FOR SECRECY.

The Mckeesport Methodisis Greatly Ex.
cited Over the Trial of DR.. Manseil-
Open Charges Tint a Church Ring
Worked Against the Pastor.
Methodists all over the Pittsburg diocese
are greatly excited over the trial OF Rev. r.
B. Mansell, of the First NJ. E. Church, Nc
Keesport, for alleged lying and defamation.
The trial commenced yesterday afternoon in
the lecture room of the church. The Rev.
DR.. Cox presided at the trial and the conf
mittee were: w. A. Stewart, w. Gourley,
b. R. Wilburn, B. T. Thomas, Nelson
Davis, E. S. White and j. n. Miller.
The prosecution was represented by the Rev.
]. E. Wright, of Wellsburg, w. Va. while the
Rev. Dr. Wheeler, presiding elder of the East
Ohio Conference and the Rev. j. b. Risk, of
Bellevue were there to look after the interests
of the Rev. DR.. Mansell. The room itself was
crowded with prominent Methodist divines, who
were eagerly watching the outcome Of the
Rev. DR.. T. n. BOYLE, Rev. j. F. Case. Rev. DR..
Beacon, Rev. DR.. Miller and Rev. DR..
MeAeham: Aside from these were eE large
who attended the trial just to lend their pastor
aid. Among the McKeesport citizens present
were E. P. Murphy, Mr.. Chester, w. V. NJ.
Coursin. John b. Lusk, John w. Morgan and
w. H. Armor.
CHARGES OF A RING.
Another feature which lends peculiar inter-
est to the trial is that DIR. Mansell and his
friends claim there is ring in the Pittsburg
diocese, and that they have prosecuted him.
They claim that few men control the entire
diocese, and expect to prove it by this trial
Both sides therefore are fighting for every
point, and as result only two witnesses were
examined yesterday. The attorneys for either
eli Cnd nv oh
together with the want of a stenographer. drew
out the examinations all day, and promises to
extend the trial over the entire week.
The first charge brought against the pastor is
lying. Under this charge were four specitica-
tions which allege that Mr.. Mansell had told
Mr.. Core that AT the Beaver Conference in 1888
the cabinet had made such fight over his
Core's-appointment that the boisterous lam
guage was heard in the kitchen of the parson-
age; that he had denied working for the ap-
pointment to MeKeesport when he had made
appointment; that Mr. Mansell had
said to members Of his congregation
that he had been forced by the
members of the Beaver Conference Cabinet to
of charges; that he had publicly announced
that he had been ignored and insulted in the
disposition of the society at Elrod, when he
had known all the arrangements ten days be-
fore, and had given his approval OF them. The
second charge of defamation, charges Mr..
Mansell with saying to members of his church.
that he could put the ministers in the peniten.
5anSay S yh0 Rs the nss sso C.
cuses DR.. Mansell with circulating
a report that F. H. Coursin, member of his
congregation, was guilty of swearing and de-
flaming his own son and threatening to throw
him in the river The charges were signed by
E. P. Murphy, w. v. M. Taylor F. 81. Coursin.
A F. Hunter John W. Morgan, John b. Lusk
w. II. Armor and J. w. Blackburn.
FIGHT FOR SECRECY.
DR.. Mansell was then arraigned and
answered, Not guilty" Then came the ques-
tion whether the investigation should be open.
After hard fight it was decided that it should
be open to all.
The Rev. DIR. James Meacham was then
called, and was kept on the stand until o'clock
PM He was examined and cross-examined
cused even declared the witness was perse-
cutor, and continued to throw out insinuations
until DR.. Meachman jumped out OF his chair
and said: Il object TO being called prose-
cutor, and l will not stand the insult any
longer"
Dr. Cox at last secured order again and the
witness continued to tell his story. He told
how the Rev. Mansell had circulated false re-
ports about the Beaver Conference and then
gave the inside facts about the meeting in the
Methodist bookstore, at which Mr.. Mansell
had signed a paper admitting that he had lied
concerning the actions of Dr. Boyle, DR.. Smith.
DR.. Beacon. the witness and others. He then said
Mr. Mansell had begged for this paper and it
was at last given to him. When he did get it
he burned it, and then claimed the ministers
had forced him to sign such paper. This
caused a second meeting, which was held at
Latrobe, in which Mr.. Mansell again admitted
his guilt and said he had not told the truth
when he declared he had been coerced into
signing the paper at the bookstore. He also
apologized to Bishop Warren for his actions.
DR.. G. W. Smith was then called. He brought
out the fact that Mr.. Mansell had charged DR..
Meacham defparinp (ManSpln a
delegate to the General Conference in 1883, and
alleged that unfair means had been used.
The remainder of DR.. Smiths evidence, so
far as given when the session closed at 10
o'clock, simply corroborated DIR. Meacham's
testimony. The trial will be resumed at $50
this morning.