The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-11-21
THE Dominic SUSPENDED.
A Pretty Young Woman Accuses
Him Of Assault and Bad
Language.

cBrttut 70 sHc etfecg tttB 4cict
AsBURT PARK. Nov. 81. 1s90---A scandal
has broken out in the town of Jackson
vile. which is about three miles south of
South Amboy. on the New York and
Long Branch Railroad. The Rev. Rob-
ert Chew, pastor OF the Methodist Epis-
copal Church Of thar place, is charged by
Mrs. Alonzo Armstrong. of Keyport. with
attempting to commit an assault upon
her. Mr.. Chew, besides his charge at
Jacksonville, breaches at Ciiffwood, a
small hamlet three miles distant 1t
was while preaching at Ciffwood that the
young pastor made the acquaintance Of
Mrs Armstrong, who Is o daughter OF
Cornelius Button. one Of the leading clti-
zens of Keyport. When Mr.. Chew first
took charge of the congregations he was
in rather straltened circumstances
This fact became known to Mrs. Arm
sition, often invited Mr.. Chew and his
wife 70 her house, and while there fire.
quently made the striving young clergy
men presents of one thing and another.
which were readily accepted by him
In the affidavit made by Mrs. Arm
strong, now in the hands of one of the
trustees of the church, Mr.. Chew Is
charged by the lady with attempting a
felonious assault upon her. and also to
have used prOfane and vulgar language
to her. This complaint reached the hands
Of Trustee John Tice on Saturday. Upon
the reception of Mrs Armstrong; letter.
MIR. Tice sought out Mr.. Chew and asked
note containing these charges. Mr.. Chew
threw II aside, saying there was not a
word of truth in them Mr.. Tice called q
meeting OF the trustees of the Ciidwood
Church and land the matter before them
It was unanimously decided 10 suspend
the pastor pending a hearing before the
presiding elder OF the district On Sun
day evening, when Mr.. Chew attempted
TO enter the church. he was met at the
door by one Of the trustees, VINO told him
that his presence was not desired for the
present Mr.. Chew. IL !s said, attempted
TO enter the church, when the door was
slammed In his face and he was elected.
The congregation was then dismissed and
the church closed.
On Monday the charges were laid be-
fore Presiding Elder Moore. who has
called meeting of the trustees and stew
ards of the church for today, when
the matter will be fully sifted. Besides
the charges made by Mrs. Armstrong. it
is said that that there are fourteen
other charges to be presented TO
day against the minister. In COM
pany with Trustee John .F. Walker. of
the CliffwOod Church, who is also princi-
pal of the Jacksonville Public School,
your correspondent called upon Mrs.
Armstrong this afternoon to learn from
her if she was ready to go before the
Board tomorrow and testify to the
charges she had preferred against the
Rev. Mr.. Chew. "God helping me,
shall" she replied. The shameful and
outrageous treatment received from Mr..
Chew is driving me crazy. have en-
deavored to keep the story from my hus-
band and my parents. but it has haunted
me night after night until / have had TO
succumb and make clean treast of It TO
my mother. She told me 70 tell my hus-
band, and he advised me TO lay the mat
ter before the church for their considers
ton. which have done"
Mrs. Armstrong is an unusually hand
some young woman; she is finely built
and is rather above the medium height
Although she Is about twenty-four years
of age, she does not look a day over
twenty.
Mr. Chew refused TO have much to say
in regard to the matter until the meeting
tomorrow. He says the whole story IS a
scheme to blackmail and ruin him He
charges the trustees with being in league
with Mrs. Armstrong TO oust him from
the church and ruin him for life.