Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-27
ON THE WAR PATH.
Rev. John w. Ellis Sues
Some Church People.
He Only Wants One Hundred
Thousand Dollars.
The Complaint Alleges Malicious and
Dastardly Conspiracy.
The Defendants Well Known Presby-
terians-A1legations in the Com
pIaint-The Statement Made
by His Attorneys.

ny hAS fAbeOhhOJSs
Rev. John W. Ellis, d. D., the deposed
pastor OF the Tabernacle Presbyterian
church, will enter suit for 500, 900 dam
ages in the superior court today against
Hugh Fraser, Henry Hufschmidt, Rev.
DIR. T. G. Easton, Rev. DR.. A. j. Kerr
and the presbytery OF San Francisco,
saws the San Francisco Examiner of
Thursday.
Charges of malicious conspiracy are
made.
Throughout the trial and from the
time the charges of misappropriation OF
church funds were first made, Rev. DIR.
Ellis acting on the advice of his attor-
ney, says he refrained from present
ing his side OF the matter either in in
&erviews or on the witness stand, but he
has now determined to tell it, tell it all
and tell it in court of law.
When the accusations against the
tabernacle clergyman were first made
that he had misappropriated funds, DIR.
Ellis sought an attorney.
Don't attempt to make any defense
at this time" was the lawyers advice.
''You will not get justice if you do and
it will only injure your cause. Don't
make any charges, don't be interviewed
and content yourself with merely ward
ing off their attack. Wait until later
and your turn will come"
Rev. Mr.. Ellis needed the words of
his counsel. He consulted with his at
torney every evening during the trial,
and waited. Now he is in position
where he need wait no longer.
The complaint to be filed today is full
of the iteration and reiteration common
to lawyers, but in brief it charges that
the defendants mentioned entered into
a malicious and dastardly conspiracy to
bring false charges against Rev. DR.. Ell
lis and unlawfullv combined together to
ruin him by depriving him of his means
OF making Aliving and to bring dis
grace upon him and his family.
Stripped of legal phrases, it goes on
to relate that Rev. DIR. Ellis had been
for some twenty years minister and
had reputation unmarried by single
stain when the defendants plotted to
destroy him and brought charges of
misappropriation of church funds, de-
ception and lying against him. At the
time, it relates, the defendants knew
that settlement of all Rev. Mr.. Ellis
obligations to the Tabernacle church
had been made. They knew also that
the charges of lying and deception were
false, as was proved later, when they
voluntarily withdrew them.
'That you may clearly understand
the motive of the attack upon DR.. Ellis"
said his attorney to a representative OF
the Examiner yesterday, sit is neces-
sary to enter into some explanations.
The facts which | relate will be fully
brought out by evidence during the
trial of this case. which hope to bring
to hearing as soon as possible.
"The Presbyterian clergyman in this
city who deservedly stands at the head
of the list is Rev. Robert Mackenzie,
pastor of the First Presby terian church.
Rev. DR.. Ellis of the Tabernacle church
was easily second, being very popular
and most progi essive and energetic
man. Rev. Mr.. Easton and Rev. Mr..
Kerr, pastors of other churches, were
very jealous of Ellis and Mackenzie, and
were utterly unable to conceal it, as will
be shown.
"What brought on the persecution of
Mr.. Ellis was proposition to unite the
First Presbyterian and the Tabernacle
churches, and so form a great church
under the pastorage of Mr.. Mackenzie
and Mr.. Ellis. Such church would
have overshadowed all the others, and,
naturally enough, when Kerr and Easton
heard of the plan they were frantic with
jealousy, and formed conspiracy to de-
feat the project at all hazards.
REV. MR.. MACKENzIE's s LETTERS.
''They first brought charges against
Mr.. Mackenzie and tried to down him,
but the attempt proved utterly futile.
Then Mr.. Mackenzie wrote these letters
to Mr.. Ellis"
The attorney went into his desk and
brought out two letters, one written in
pen and ink and dated, and the other
written with a lead pencil on waste
piece of paper.
The first states the situation of the
Tabernacle congregation, and discusses
the proposed union. The second was
personal note of explanation OF the first.
@'This first letter was read to the Taber
'nacle congregation, the attorney went
on, land soon it was known everywhere
that the union was in prospect. Revs.
DIR. Kerr and EaSton met Fraser and
Hufschmidt, who were recreant mem
bers Of the Tabernacle flock, and a con-
spiracy was formed to down Mr.. Ellis
They waited until he went to Los An
geles to sell his property-out of which
sale he was to get $35, ,000-and then got
the matter into the newspapers.
AT the time they knew that on Feb
fruary 10th, at a church meeting which
and Fraser attended, Rev.
Mr.. Ellis made full settlement of his
account and it was accepted by the
church. The record OF this settlement I
have now, and it shows that the Taber-
nacle church is indebted to Rev. Mr..
Ellis in the sum of $l96. have noti
fed the present treasurer that he must
pay the money or will sue him."
THE OCT MINED