The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-05
DIR. KING ROUTS HIS FOES.
ALL The NEW FORK NJ 4 0oNFkRKNoB
SCANDAL OUT

ALL zhE NEW fOhk N. Il OONFA6hNOn
SCANDAL OUT
The Committee's Report was Against D.
Kiag, Bat He Retorted So Easesivsiy
Upon His Psrsuers that He CsrrssA che
Conference. ana He Goes 70 Onahs with
the LarEest Vote OF Any Delegate.
The scandal which has been ovsrshadowins
everything else at tho New York Conference o.
the Methodist Episcopal Church. was fully
disclosed at yesterdays session In the Park
Avenue Methodist Church. 1t was a dramatic
day with the venerable DR.. J. NJ. King As the
central figure through It all. The investigat-
ink committees report was practically an
indictment OF DR.. King. and In the morning
1t looked decidedly black for him. with
an ecclesiastical trial almost certain But
DR.. King abided his time. and after
his friends and enemies had spoken
to the report he broke his silence and came
out in a defence which carried the Conference
by storm and resulted in his complete vindi-
cation. Ho attacked tho men-ministers and
laymen- who had put detectives on the hunt
for evidence against him. and one OF them. the
Rev. c. $. Narrower. pastor Of the Central
Methodist Church. made a heated reply. Every
four years delegates nre elected to the GEN.
ernl Conference. and there was good deal Of
politics four years ago. but never anything In
Conference like this years campaigning.
The galleries were crowded with women and
prominent Methodist laymen when the Rev.
A. H. Ferguson. Chairman Of the Investigating
Committee. got up with the report In his hand.
He passed It over to the Rev. E s. Osbon. one
OF his fellow committeeman. who jumped In
side the rail and read from the single sheet OF
foolscap. This is what the $50 ministers
heard:
REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATORS
Tho committee appointed to investigate GER
tain rumors In circulation derogatory to mem
bers Of this body begs leave to report
First AS respects the meeting OF certain
members Of this Conference at Poughkeepsie.
We give 1t as our opinion that in SO far AS any
evidence has come before us the holding OF
such n meeting was Justly within the province
OF any members Of this Conference and that at
that meeting no action was taken that was In
any way derogatory to the members. ..
Second. As to the anonymous circular cor
corning that meeting. sent by mail to the NOM
bcrs OF tho Conference. the committee finds It
not only false in its statement. but slanderous
in holding up to ridicule a number Of tho
members OF this body and culpably irreverent
in its misuse OF the holy Scriptures. Tho Sc.
cret Of its origin has been so guarded that
while the envelopes sent out and the hand
writing Of lhe names on them are pronounced
by an expert to DO identical with others issued
by the National League for the Protection OF
American Istitutions there was no proof that
they actually came from that office by the act
OF any member OF this Conference. 1t Is but
Just to the head OF that offlce and the secre-
tary OF that society to state that he denies all
knowledge OF the authorship. printing. or dis.
semination OF that circular. .s..,.
The third matter before the committee WAS
An ANONYMOUS letter received by Bowles Col.
gate. President Of the New York City Mission
and Church Extension Society. deiamatory Of
the character OF member Of the New York
East Conference. This letter has been pro.
nounced by an expert. after microscopic teeta.
to be from the same machine ttypewriterl as
that used by the Rev. DR.. J. NJ. King in some Of
his correspondence. DR.. King denies all au.
thorship and participation In the letter. but
admits q knowledge Of the writer and OF the
substance Of the letter before 1t was sent. He
states. however. that he cannot give the name
OF the person with whom he had three inter-
views. The committee finds itself unable to
continue the investigation further. as It has
no power to summon unwilling witnesses. who
would be compelled to give their testimony
under oath.
The report was signed by A. Il. Ferguson. 4
8. Osbon. ]. Y. Bates. Andrew Longacre. B. II.
Burch. E. s. Bishop. and J. p. Hermance.
IT RAISES A STORM.
There was a moment OF silence as the min.
isters took in the full import Of what they had
heard. One Of them called for another read
ing. and then DR.. Ferguson formally moved
for the acceptance and adoption OF the report.
DR.. Richard Wheatleigh was the first man
recognized by Bishop Foss. "Actuated by q
simple sense Of justice" he said. II want to
1,kko tofh no oof Int thora ia a md
lying assumption in that report-an almost
necessary inference-that those circulars did
issue from the office OF the National League.
1t is assumed that there is no other typewriting
machine in use In New York like that. and that
nowhere but In DR.. Kings office was that letter
paper used. These are assumptions that ought
not to be entertained In determination ofthis
question"
One Of tho ministers wanted to know II the
secretary Of tho League tDr. King) had made
an explicit denial that the letters were written
in his office. and Bishop Foss referred him to
the report. DIR. George r. Crooks said that the
brother had admitted his knowledge OF tho
contents OF the anonymous letter sent to
Bowles Colgate rejecting on the Rev. F. Mason
North. They should adopt the report. and
then tho burden would rest upon DR.. King to
shy whether tho documents went out without
his consent or with his protest.
HES CALLING US ASSES"
Dr. George H. McGrew. pastor Of 81. Paul's.
got UP In the second row. but the ministers 1t
the rear OF the church couldn't hear him and
cried "Louderi" Then he told q story about an
orator who being assaulted with similar CRIES.
had told his hearers that IL they would use the
full length Of their ears they could catch his
"McGrew ought to take that back" said Dr..
Hes calling us asses" came from another
%as en WE eas sn sat hA
Bishop Toss GTietod ne trouble ard Dr. Me-
the exports were upon whose report the
anonymous documents had been connceted
with DR.. Kings office. He turned to DR. Fer
guson for light, but the Bishop sharply. 10.
formed him that tho committee couldn't 10
catechised. -,
-" The committee could not persuade unwtll-
Ing to St Ss
willing, continued Dr.; McGrsTIi AG ~ VIE .e
as easy to get experts on on. side as on ~. the
other. Unon this expert Testimony. ana tlits
| ..l- IL. thnr huf