The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-16
CHURCHMEN In A RIOT.
LIVELY TIMES AT PARsoN ELLIS
CHURCH

The Disgruntled Ex-Deecons, Not Sat
isfied With Creating Disorder and
Making Business Impossible, at
tempt to Take Possession of the
Pulpit. and a Free Fight Ensues-
Little Damage Done-Feeling Run
ming Eigh-The End Not Yet.
Last night was the regular semi-monthly
conference meeting of the Second African
Baptist church, and the two factions which
have divided the church for so long were
out in full force. About 500 people were
crowded in the basement of the church,
and standing room was in demand. The
pastors supporters occupied the left side OF
the church from the entrance and the other
faction was massed on the opposite side,
and it was difficult to tell which side was In
the majority.
The pastors supporters asserted that the
opposition had drummed the county to Sc
cure voters, and that country members
We're present from remote localities, who
had not been inside the church
since the war. Both sides
felt that the decisive time
had come, and each were determined to
win. The opposition was straining every
nerve TO down the pastor and he had rallied
all his support around him. The
driving rain made no difference to
the members of the church militant
The females predominated on the pastors
side, and were not slow to voice their ap-
proval OF anything be said or did The
pastors friends claim that the majority Of
the city members are with the pastor, and
that it Is only the country members, led by
a few soreheads In the city, that compose
the opposition.
The conference begun at O'Clock, with
Pastor Ellis in the chair. The question was
on the adoption of the minutes of the pre-
vious meeting. at which a number of the
opposition faction had been declared OK
PEELED. As the opposition had contested
the vote and the meeting was broken up in
a row, they were opposed to the adoption
OF the minutes.
Speech-making, motions and confusion
were the order of the night, the meeting
being one huge pow-wow from beginning TO
end. il was impossible to keep order, and
personal disputes were frequent Officer
Troupe Durham was stationed ON the
outside, and his presence doubtless pre-
vented trouble. The question was put to a
vote, which resulted in pandemonium,
during which some of the pastors sup
porters bolted for the barracks and called
for the police. Serg. Killourhy came out
with the detail Of eleven men and
halted them In front of the
church at 30 o'clock, but was much dis
gusted to find that they had not been
needed.
A SMALL RIOT.
The warning faction kept up such dsor-
der that all proceedings were blocked. After
several Intellectual efforts to put the cues
ton OF approving the minutes of the pre-
v1ous conference, which the disorder To-
mented by the ex-deacons prevented,
there was lull in the proceed
ings, but it proved the luIl
before the storm. The ex-deacons, Hosea
Maxwell, Robert Thomas, York Milledee.
James Rodgers, William Fields and Sawney
Williams, seemed to have grown desperate,
and they and their supporters made a COM
bined rush to take possession of the mod
orators chair, occupied by the pastor, Rev.
Ellis.
A free fight ensued, and for a time serI-
GUS trouble seemed imminent The ex-
deacons and their supporters made a rush
for the pulpit, but we're met with deter
mined and violent opposition. Chairs, knives
aud canes were freely used, and several
pistol shots were fired, but without effect.
Henry Burney was cut in the head, and
Charley Morse, the church clerk, received
severe blow on the head with cane or
chair. Owing to the lateness of the hour
the full extent OF the damage could not be
ascertained.
AS soon as il was learned that a row was
in progress re-enforcements were dis
patched from police headquarters, who,
with the force on duty az the church.
succeeded in quieting the row and dis
persing the crowd. without, so far as ascer-
tanned, any more serious results than above
detailed.
IL seems clear that the end is not yet The
deposed deacons of the church seem to be
determined to recover their former pres
tige and depose Pastor Ellis, but the pastor
and his supporters are fully as determined
as they, and have the advantage, further
more, Of being in the majority.
Pastor Ellis escaped without bodily harm.
No arrests we're made