St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-07
Free MethOdiStS Ask Gov
Boies to Call Out the
Iowa Militia.
These Religious Enthusiasts
Get at Outs With Corn
ing Citizens.
Unseemly Conduct of Sons
Of the Young People Re-
Gently Converted.
The Sheriff Informs the Gov,
ernor There Is No Cause I
for Alarm.

CORNING, TO-, March 6.-The applicn
tion made by the Free Methodists I'd
Gov. Boies for protection by the state
militia is the outcome of an antagOnistiG
feeling that the citizens of Southwest
ern Iowa have for months enteH
tanned against these religious enthu<
siasts. The latter have had head{
quarters at Shenandoah, Red Oak and
other points, and at all of these placea
have had trouble with the local author<
tiles. Since last summer they have
been holding prOtracted meetings at
Corning. At first they occupied large
tent which was burned, probably
by an incendiary, one night lasu
September, after which they leased
Calkin's rink and continued their
work there. Their announced faith
or creed has not been criticised so much
as their manners, methods and pulpit
utterances. They are accustomed, in
the enthusiasm or their meetings, to
stamp, shout. yell and run about the
full length and breadth of the rink,
and some of the young girls and young
men who have been converted have
frantically thrown themselves at full
length upon the floor, and at times have
lain there Kicking and rOlicking .hys-
tericaIly about for hours. At times tho
band has been accustomed to go to any
of the homes where they could gain
entrance and
Sing and Pray
until they were requested to withdraw.
They held daily seanceS at one home to-
heal good woman who has been a
helpless invalid from rheumatism for
many years. The conditions were not
right, however, for her restoration.
Naturally, the evening meetings at
tracted rabble, and the services
were sometimes interrupted by scoifers.
After several arrests had been made
and the prisoners released at the re-
quest of the prosecutors, special police
men were sworn in TO preserve tho
peace. One of the converts is w. III.
HOxie, publisher of a local paper,
who has become so wholly wrapped up
in this religious enthusiasm as to
give most of his property to the
agitatOrs. The immediate cause Of the
present appeal to the governor was az
follows: A prominent furniture dealer
named Robert HOllister has for years
provided the comforts of a good home
for his wife's inirm parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Whitehead, aged seventy-twO and
eighty-fiye respectively. These good old
people have become interested in tine
meetings and the members OF the
band have been regular visitors at Mr.. I
HOLSTERS home to hold special meet
ings III their behalf. This became so
annoying to Mr.. and Mrs. HOLSTER
that they requested the visits to cease.
The Free Methodists then prevailed
upon the old couple to go With them and
occupy quarters which they would fitup,
Promising to Provide
for them, Wednesday night after these
events Mr.. HOXsie thanked God that
this was mot the kind of religion which
allowed a man TO turn his old father and
mother out of doors" At the close of
the meeting Bert HOLSTER, a son OF
Robert ana grandson of the old cOu-
pie, approached Capt. Hoxsie and called
him liar and few other
similar names. The special police
threatened him with arrest, but he was
we'll backed by his young companions.
The next night the manager of the rink
building leased the main floor of the
culHCC IOI pllLc lSuI anu UOAllS 6A-
hibltion. Large crowds gathered,
and during the evening the win
dows of the rink occupied by the
revivalists were kicked in, the electric
lights were shut off at the works, and
the Pentecostal band was served EN-
bryonic poultry on the half-shell, mud.
stones and sticks. At the conclusion
the gang followed the workers to their
sleeping quarters and pelted them with
eggs and other missiles. The band did
not complain to the city authorities.
but at once telegraphed the governor
for troops. The governors private sec
rotary communicated with the sheriff,
who telegraphed him there was no cause
for alarm or calling out the militia. The
United States marshal is now here to
investigate the situation. Public senti-
ment is strongly opposed to the eOntin-
uance of these meetings. Capt. HOxie
alleges that Thursday nights mob was
the same as that that lynched and hung
the murderer Mckenzie here a few
wears ago.