Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-19
EvASyE ANSWERS,
Rev. DR.. Ellis on the Witness
Stand.
His Testimony Wanting in Straight
fOrwardness.
The Court Admonishes Him Sharply.
He Makes Curious Mis-
quotation From u
Book.

Rev. Mr.. Kerr, Rev. Mr.. Woodworth
and other members of the Presbyterian
church were given scoring this morn
ing, says the San Francisco Report of
Tuesday, by Rev. DR.. Ellis, who was still
on the witness stand during the trial of
his suit in Judge Wallace's court against
the San Francisco presbytery.
"Mr. Woodworths aided and abetted
the prosecutor all he could" said DIR.
Ellis, bitterly.
"But didn't he have a right to do
SOP" asked the court.
''They didn't act conscientiously and
honestly, but were actuated by bad
motives. They didn't give me fair
trial."
Major Mhoon. assisted by Rev. Kerr,
cross-examined the deposed pastor, and
some rather pointed questions were
asked.
The court became tired of the evasive
answers and somewhat tartly instructed
the witness not to complain of moral
charges, but to specify wherein the
presbytery had deviated in form from
reviewed the entire sessions of the body
last summer.
II was not permitted to make my OBJ
jections to the charges before that
body"
''Do you mean to cay that you were
not given an opportunity to object?"
asked the court.
absolutely. Not sentence was 1
permitted to utter in the way of objec-
tion."
''Do you mean to say you were not
allowed hearing?"
In answer to this, Major Mhoon read
from the presbytery minutes, wherein
it was explained that DIR. Ellis protest
was returned to him because it was not
couched in respectful language.
DR.. Ellis dug down into his gripsack
and pulled out the document referred
to, after which he proceeded to read.
In the paper he quoted section pur-
porting to be portion of chapter of
the Book of Discipline. Major Mhoon
asked HIM to find the quotation as he
handed over the book.
''It is not there" rather shamefacedly
responded witness.
"Then why did you quote the wrong
law?'
''I will explain. 1 had in my posses
sion at that time but one Book of Discip-
line and that was an old one. 1 did not
know that the laws and rules had been
revised in the mean time"
"Then your protest was Justly re-
fused ?" inquired Major Mhoon.
''No, not justly" replied DIR. Ellis.
illegally, then ?'' said counsel.
Technically it was legal" was the
rejoinder.
Chaplain Blake, Rev. DIR. Matthews
and Rev. A. Sheerer fell in for severe
criticism at the tongue of the witness
DIR. Matthews was accused of having
prepared false charges, DIR. Sheerer with
having injured him by helping the pros
ecutor and Chaplin Blake by voting in
favor of the charges OF deception and
misapprehension.
In speaking of DR.. Chapman of East
Oakland, DR.. Ellis was equally bitter.
He declared that the doctor first came
to him in friendly spirit and said if
the church bills were paid all might be
right. Afterward he made most severe
speech before the presbytery, intimat-
ing that the embezzlement was 90 great
that it could not be compromised.
II soon learned that DR.. Chapman
was lsboring under great mental and
moral question:" continued DR.. Ellis.
was so wrought up that he was actually
incoherent at times in his speech. I
had to interrupt him by saying, Why
doctor, l don't know what you mean.
Are you my friend or are you trying to
give evidence against me?' The fact of
the matter was that DIR. Chapman
wanted to get all he could out of me,
and he got it as fast as could talk, for
at the time he called upon me I thought
him my friend"
DR.. Ellis was beginning to put Rev.
DIR. Mackenzie and some of the other
ministers on the rack, when recess was
taken,