Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-19
PASTOR HILL PRIMED
With Plenty of Evidence Against
Evangelist Sam Small.
DETERMINED TO FIGHT IT OUT.
Some Documents That Tell Startling Tale
of Wicked DOings.
SMALL'S QUEER TRANSACTIONS IN UTAH



Wesley Hill, pastor of the First Methodist
Episcopal Church of Ogden, Utah, who IS
now in this city, has furnished bail In the
sum of $1,000 to appear for trial IN the
Criminal Court in September, for which he
has been indicted by the grand jury on COM
plant of Evangelist Sam Small. He fur
nished bail to District Attorney Graham.
After the legal formalities had been ad-
justed, Mr. Hill said:
81 came to attend to this Small business
and to some business of the Utah Univer-
sity, of which 1 recently have been elected
financial agent The main thing, however,
is to settle up this indictment that Small
has secured against me for criminal libel
His complaint was that 1 had stated In
letter that L had evidence which, If used
legally, would send Small to the penlten-
tiary Well, 1 wrote it. If didn't think
I had the evidence wouldn't be here now
1 could have remained out in Utah. They
never would have sent for me there.
The Charges Against Small.
In his room at the Continental Hotel,
Mr. Hill consented to disclose some of the
ammunition he will use, but so far it is In
the shape of letters from people in different
sections of the country, alleging that Mr..
Small has lured them into his net and
pocketed cash and other property.
81 want you to bear in mind" said Mr..
Hill s'that did not bring on this warfare.
Mr.. Small has sued me for libel and he has
got to fight to the death for his reputation.
Should he lose the suit, as am sure he
will, his occupation and future career are
ruined. Now that he has started in to fight
H. forr To do &c
to defend myself so forcibly and completely
that he will be vanquished, and 1 am posi-
tive can do. I shall not think of giving
to the public all my defense in advance, Of
course, but just let me show you some let
ters received since this affair was started.
Here is one from prominent judge in At
lanta, Ga. You may copy the letter but l
cannot reveal the writer's name at present
What the Judge Says.
Mr.. Hill then selected from a mass of
papers in a satchel one bearing the letter
head of certain judge in Atlanta The
portion relating to Mr.. Small was read by
Mr. Hill as follows:
He (Small) left here deeply in debt, the
court records being full Of judgments
against his wife, in whose name their house
stood. In the course of his dealings in
certain suit brought against him upon a dis
to keep them or to excuse his failure He
impressed me as man simply INSCRIPTIONS
in incurring money obligations.
''That is the principal part of this letter,
continued Mr.. Hill, ''but 1 have another at
home from this same Judge, who writes that
in his opinion Small is now travelling on his
role as reformed drunkard, patted on the
shoulders by many old women of both sexes;
thoroughly unreliable, professional evan
gelistic agitator for the money there is
in it.
Mr.. Hill concluded this quotation with
considerable warmth of manner, showing
that there is little of brotherly love lost be-
tween him and his co-worker in proclaim
ing the gospel
A Transaction in Town Lots.
After he had cooled down little he said:
stNow, here is a letter from Baptist
clergyman at Bath, Me-, dated May g. He
writes thus:
A few days since bargained with Small
for lots to % in Block on Coke street. Og-
den, Utah, for $l,sO0. Small told me there
was no better property. What, in your opin-
ion, is it worth?
'Upon receiving this letter at Ogden"
Mr.. Hill said, 81 investigated it. There is
absolutely no such property in the city of
Ogden. The lots referred to belong 20
tract ofdesert land lying eight miles ont ofthe
city toward Salt Lake. Small had options
on 5000 acres of this land, which is all COW
cred with sage bush, and which has no
water any time except when it rains He
tried to sell this off through church people,
and he did dispose of good deal in Canada
and Maine. But finally he had to let the
real estate deal fall through.
"Another little incident in Small's career.
Last August he was in Ogden and went to
old Judge NJ S. Preshaw, of that city,
prominent Methodist. Small said he had to
had sold his house in Atlanta and the cash
was in the bank there He promised to re-
turn the loan at once. The old Judge went
on his note, putting up bank stock as
security.
Two Worthless Notes Given.
"September and October passed, and when
November arrived, Preshaw wrote a strong
appeal, begging Small to settle. AT that
time the latter was here in Philadelphia
and he sent the Judge two sight drafts, in
structing him to get them cashed on
certain date. Preshaw followed the in
structions, but both notes were returned
protested"
Mr.. Hill paused for moment and then
said: "Since that time Judge Preshaw has
died, leaving widow and a widowed
daughter The administrator of the estate
wrote to Small, urging him to settle, as did |
the Ogden State Bank, but there was no re-
sponse to repeated appeals. Finally, in
order to save itself, the bank was compelled |
to institute proceedings against the widow
and her daughter. The estate has been
held all these months, as the administrator
was unable to effect settlement, and the two |
bereaved women have been in absolute want |
and destitution.
The last letter read by Mr.. Hill was writ
ten, he says, by responsible citizen of San
Francisco. "Just listen to it," said the
warning brother. Then he read::a long mis-
sive, accusing Small of perjury in Califor-
MIA, of obtaining jewelry under false pre-
lenses in Cincinnati and of crooked dealings