Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-05-14
SAWYER TO REMAIN.
BUT TIE MISSION WILL 60 ON WITHOUT THE
EVANGELIST.
SAYS Hs Does Take Drink Occasionally but Only
Does it for His Hsalth--What his
Plans ars--Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer
Make Statements.

MdAo DtltO4hoAeos
There has been considerable interest
in the Evangelist Sawyer case published
in the REGISTER yesterday morning,
and many are the inquiries as to how
and where the developments will end.
The gentlemen interested in the mission
were frequently importuned yesterday
as to the course to be pursued in the
future. While all regretted Mr.. Saw
yer,s conduct, they said that this unfor-
tunate affair would not interfere with
the furtherance of the mission under
new guidance.
Yesterday afternoon REGISTER re-
porter In his rambles about town
dropped into the Evangelistic Exchange
on Market street near Fourteenth, and
workmen seemed busily engaged in re-
moving furniture and other effects, the
property Of the crestfallen Evangelist.
Near the stage in sort Of meditative
mood, now and then directing the
movements of the workmen, sat Mr..
and Mrs. Sawyer, sort OF soliloquizing
on the ungratefulness of empires and
the sterility of the earth in general.
AS the reporter broke into the do
mestlcity of the circle, Mr.. Sawyer re-
marked:
"Well, that's nice send. off you gave
me this morning. It's certainly very
ungrateful after all I've done in this
town. It's true, do take drink once
in while, but l only take it for my
health when am completely exhausted
from over-work. I've stood on that
platform for hours, and on rainy nights
when the water dripped down upon my
head through the cracks to help the
poor people about me; and I've got so
tired that / had to drink little for
stimulant, or | never could have accom-
plished the great work l have done.
And in the matter of drinking, don't
see anything so very bad about 1t. We
are all human; nothing more. And,
what can say right here, I'm no hypo-
critic, as many are. l don't profess to be
a temperance man, and / never did.
never preached a temperance sermon In
this hall. l know like glass or two
once in a while, but that is all you can
say about me"
And" continued Mr.. Sawyer (bring-
ing his umbrella down with a VEN
geance) 81 want to say word or two
about that Leslie matter. That all grew
out Of kindness that extended to the
family. l first met Mrs. Leslie in West
Alexander a long time ago, when she
Joined meeting up there, and have
always taken warm interest in the
welfare of the family. When-I discov-
cred she was here in town some time
ago sought her out, and seeing they
were in poor circumstances, | proceed
ed to help them, which did fire.
quently. giving them money, and my
wife carried fresh eggs and other things
to the family"
''And as for our drinking in that
saloon that night" broke in Mrs. Saw
yer, ''as sure as there is God in Heaven
we didn't touch drop. never drank
any Deer in my life, and am not a drink
ing woman"
At this point Mr.. Sawyer jumped up
out of the chair walked nervously
around, at the same time twirling an
umbrella, remarking: but go ahead
and roast me. Roast me all you want
to. am now prepared to be crucifed.
But people will hear from this again.
Some Of the slanderers may be the
losers. IL will come out in the end.
Truth crushed to earth will rise again.
We came to this city with some money.
We are now great deal poorer, and all
spent in helping the unfortunate sinners.
Why only last Monday evening gave
ten dollars in change to the pennilessin
nv audience, and frequently | have
given money to those who have appeal
ed to me. have scratched up the last
cent from my pockets to help on the
deserving poor. Never have l refused
anyone who called for money II | could
possibly rake any up"
''And you see those chairs, and tables
and other things being taken out"
chimed in Mrs. Sawyer? "Well, just
had to sell some of my diamonds to get
all of those things for the hall, and in
hundreds of ways we have reached
down in our pockets to carry on this
work. And now see the persecution
through which we are passing"
w udJ dIC lJuk PAohS' ooNSN
thereporter of Mr.. Sawyer.
''I'm going to stop right here, mark
that. Put that right down and make
no mistake. I'm not going to bulge out
of this town. I'm here TO stay. I've
got friends here, have, and can get
up a petition signed by people from
Ritchietown to the Top mill, only too
anxious to have me remain. AS soon as
I find a suitable location shall open up
another mission, and IL these stories
continue to be circulated about me |
NAV open up some matters that will
cause a sensation. | know few scan
dals, myself, connected with prominent
families here, that would make some In
teresting reading"
''How about your matrimonial rela-
tions?" asked the reporter Of Mrs.
Sawyer.
"Well, now you can just stick in the
paper that it is all right. We were mar
ried in New York State nine years ago,
when l was 16 years old, and if the peo-
pie don't believe il, I'll just bring upm
papers and let you paste them up on
the wall, or hang them in the REGISTER
office window where people can sea
them. l am Mr.. Sawyer's second wife,
and we were married all right. And in
regard to those stories circulated about
my running around in saloons and other
places nights, there's no truth in them
whatever. / did visit saloons quite fire.
quently. but l went only in daylight,
and then on business selling tickets to
our festivals at the hall, or for some