The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-04-01
ANONYMOUS LETTERS
To McthodistM Ministers Saidto Have
Boon Written by a Minister.
THE JEALOUSY IN new YORK
About the Omaha Conference Leads
n Clergyman to Dlshonorablo Prac-
ticcs..What nn investigation Dcycl.
opcd...Attcmpting to Suppress the
Name of tho Guilty Ono.

New Yonw, March 3l.--The Tribune
has tho following story:
Tho jealousy among Methodist minis.
tcrs OF New York, which made itself so
apparent Just before the general Metho.
dist conference in 1888, has evidently
not disappeared, and some serious
charges arc made against one OF tho
most prominent Methodist clCrgymen
in tho city. Tho accusations arc that
tho Methodist pastor, to injure II OF
his fcllow.preachers and 10 prevent him
from being chosen as a delegate to be
sent to the Omaha conference, resortcd
to anonymous letter-writins and was
caught ut it. At any rate, letters re-
ilecting in more ways than IL upon the
reputation OF ono or moro Methodist
ministers were circulated, and they
caused such n conmotion that IN in
v~estigating committee was appointed,
and the result may be that the resigna-
ton OF 4 certain Methodist minister
will be asked for in the ncar future.
Tho investigating committee learned
that most oil the charges, ii not all OF
them, made by tho anonymous letter
writer were false, and that tho letters
were written solely with tho intention
OF injuring the chances OF one or moro
ministers. The investigation further
showed that tho letters might have
been written by u Methodist minister
who, if some Of his fcllow-workcrs were
injured, would have a chance OF being
picked out rs q delegate to the confer
cncc.
The members Of the investigating
committee after thoroughly looking into
tho affair came to the conclusion that
they were justified in suspectine Il
Methodist minister Of being the author
OF the anonymous letters. After reach
ing this conclusion, they hunted up
several autograph letters ofthe suspect
ed pastor, and the handwriting OF the
anonymous letterwriter and TINT of this
clergyman were compared. Arcmarka-
bio resemblance, it is said, was discover
ed, but 10 make matters more positive
an expert penman was consulted. 1t is
said that the expert pronounced the
handwriting of all the letters shown to
him rs almost identical.
The suspected minister was called be-
fore tho investigating committee, and
he most emphatically denied that he
had resorted to such base methods as
were attributed to him. The commit
tee is not fully satisfied yet with what
it has learned, and no report has been
made regarding the affair. Tho report,
however, it is, said, will be made before
the clerical representatives to the May
conference are selected, and the result
may prove q great surprise to New York
Methodists and church-going people in
general.
Several Methodist pastors and several
people prominent in Methodist church
work called upon bya reporter OF the
Tribune last evening, but not one OF
those seen would talk freely about the
case. Several admitted, however, that
anonymous letters had been circulated
With the view OF injuring the reputa-
tion'of some one, but no names were
mentioned.
"The proof is not conclusive" said
IL OF the ministers, "and an injustice
might be done ii names were mentioned.
A vigorous effort has been made to keep
the entire matter rs quiet as possible,
as it is always better 10 let ono guilty
man escape than to injuro an innocent
man. AS there is only one man guilty
in this case. so lar as is suspected, it is
not the intention to convict anybody
until it is absolutely known that the in
ycstigatins committee is not in q posi-
ton to accus any IL man, and it may
never be in 4 position to be certain OF
accusing ANYBODY"