Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1891-06-12
LEGAL NEWS.
TILE SuNRrRY CASE.

day afternoon-every seat was taken an
many were standing. 1t was warm il
there-the day itself was warm, and-il
the language Of the genial Reuben-ther
was an utter absence of frigidity in th,
Courtroom, excepting, of course, as be
tween the plaintiffs and defendants in th,
case then and there about going to trial.
At one table Messrs. ]. W. Sloan, Sam
Smith and DR.. Washabaugh, and their at
torneys, s. f. Bowser, Lev. McQuistioI
and J. c. Vanderlin. were sitting; and a.
the other were DIR. Hockenberry, J. $
Campbell, John Mechling, II. C. Pryor and
others, and their attorneys, John VI. Greer
Chas. McCandless, W A. Forquer and A
NJ. Christley.
Two hours were occupied in getting a
jury, and in hearing motions,-as is usual
Wednesday afternoon,-and which Were
very uninteresting to the sweltering crowd,
and it was O'Clock before Mr.. Bowser
opened for the prosecution.
He said that on the 18th of May last. a
scene, unparalleled in the records Of this
county, had been revealed at Sunbury. an
extraordinary tumult on the Sabbath day,
not equalled since the days Of the Inquisi-
tion-and then he told all about it from the
standpoint of the prosecution.
Rev. Milton Smith was the first witness.
He lives in Pleasantville and is the Pre-
siding Elder Of the N. E. Conference OF
Erie, to which the Sunbury church belongs;
appointed Rev. Pollard to the charge CON
sisting Of the churches at North Hope,
Anandale and West Sunbury on March 9Th
last; complaint was made to him Of the
church being locked and he went there and
presided at the election Of new trustees on
May 18th last: vote was taken and the
complaint was sustained and the old trus-
tees were deposed and new ones elected; it
was regularly called quarterly meeting;
some Of the old trustees were present and
the matter discussed; the church was lock
ed and the meeting was held on the steps
and adjourned to a private house; some
persons said he could have the church if he
removed Pollard; '1ocal preacher was
eligible to the appointment; the trustees
could petition for removal but were not at
liberty to lock the church.
On cross examination he explained the
difference in the duties OF travelling and
local preachers; admitted that Rev. Pollard
was not admitted to the conference of
1887, held at jamestown, and had not, to
his knowledge, since been admitted; knew
of no charges against his moral character;
Pollard was local preacher in good stand
ing and was rejected for that year alone
and was not ineligible to this appointment;
did not know that Pollard was objected to
by majority of the congregation; gave
names of persons at the Sunbury confer
ence, and went over church rules and prac-
tices with questioner; the charges were sus-
tanned aud the old trustees were lawfully
removed; the new trustees tried to enter
the church that evening, but were prevent
ed bv the crowd; had no recollection Of
saying there were more ways of getting
into church than with key; was cool.
calm and pleasant, and was not angry.
Rev. Isaac G. Pollard was the next wit
ness. He lives in Petrolia and breaches
the gospel; was appointed to the North
Hope, Anandale and West Sunbury charge;
tried to preach in church at Sunbury, but
could not get in as old trustees kept him
out; complained to Presiding Elder that
trustees were violating their obligations;
question discussed and charges sustained
by vote of 16 to ); new board elected and
organized; church locked and padlocks on
gates; got notice to build new sidewalk in
front of church; described the fuss in the
church yard; saw men follow Sloan to
church door and all go down the steps to-
gether; James Smith called him dirty,
little, black wretch, Spaniard who had
caused all the trouble, and told him to get
out of the town; Shull shook his finger at
him, called him a dirty, black wretch, ard
threatened him with tar and feathers.
On cross examination he said he had
been ordained both deacon and elder; came
to Butler county from Titusville in 1889; is
a local preacher and has been in the minis
try for twenty years; did not know that
the people OF Sunbury did not want him;
was told by DR.. Hockenberry and John
Mechling that they did not want him on
March 28th; DR.. Hockenbeny told him
they had put up with plug preachers as
long as they were going to; DR.. Hocken-
berry and John Mechling were class lead
ers till he removed them; the complaint
was verbal and he gave full notice of the
the women screamed at the
fuss-and at the instigation of Mr.. Nc
Candless, he gave startling sample of the
screaming. His evidence closed the pro.
ceedings for that day.
Thursday morning, ]. W. Sloan was the
first witness He lives in Sunbury and is
a Methodist but is not a member of that
church, is one Of the trustees appointed on
the 18th. Went TO the church building on
M 4