New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-19
TESTIFYING FOR MR.. DILL.
TIE STIRLING CLERGYMANs DEFENCE
OPENED.
THE PRESBYTERY GREATLY EXERCISED At THE
NEWSPAPER REPORTS, BUT FAIL TO
FIX THE RESPONSIBILITY.

MorrlstOwn y. j. Jan. Is (Specan.-rhe entire
morning session Of the Presbytery which Is trying
the Rev. Arthur Cushing Dill. Of stirling was used
up trying 70 find ont who had given The information
OF the secret proceedings TO the press The members
Of the l'resby terry much surprised to last
week accounts Of the trial which Is being held behind
closed doors appear in the newspapers the following
day. Everybody I'm the court Is obliged 10 pledge
himself to secrecy, and the reporters were and are
threatened with arrest II they veniurcd into
the building. the brethren much puzzled
The aphcr OF the court McMasters, was charged
with being the traitor but he positively denied his
guilt the PreSbyery were forced believe him. al
though letters from Of the New York papers were
read which stated that McMssters had offered, before
the trial began. to sell them his notes. Mr.. Dill and
his counsellorS were then charged with giving inorma
tion TO reporters but this also denied and the
court after long discussion. forced TO give up the
pcrplexing question. Mr.. IIlckok seconded by Mr..
DBL made motion that the reporters be admitted 10
the room during the defence but the Presbyery would
hot hear of it,
An interesting fact, which has before been
published came out by accident this afternoon.
yOung woman Of Mount Freedom Miss Imcy thompson.
the stepdaughter OF Elder Nelson Ilugl,son of the
Mount Freedom Presbyterian Church, Of which Mr.
Dill was pastor before he went TO stirling. In
this place to-day. II seems that when MI.
Dill was at Mount Freedom he became engaged
TO Miss Thompson. II was learned that after
wear the young woman had broken of The match. on
account of the way Mr.. Dill acted with the young
women VI the place. II l. not SAID tuat De dia aiV-
thing immoral but that lie hirted with them' Inc
young woman wOud not be seen, but her uhcie'
ex sheriff Coe, OF Morris County. Of this place al
mited that the engagement had been broKen on
he would not say by Miss Thompson. but a7erred
that Il was not by Mr. Dill, and positively asserted
Tint MI, niece had two letters which Mr.. Dill had
written ~ her after he had go"o
to Stirling In which he legged her
to renew the engagement, II She would not 90 a'.
to deny that she had ever been engaged I" MN anu
that II she would agree to This he (DllD would also
DENY the engagement. Mr. Goes niece had co"'e
TO Moristown he explained to testify for the proSec"
nou ut as at the Investigation OF Mr. Dill al SURFING
by the Presbyery Committee. II agreed tha' the
prosecutIon should only produce thoSr witnesses al
the trial who had testified before the COMMITTEE MISS
| Thompson wns not allowed to give her ev'euce'
After the noon recess the trial adJourne' irOu hs'
| Tuesday wa. continued. The Rev william i'oi""'"'.
testified that Mr. Dill had told him that me cause vi
the defendants fanting 1T in Dr. Whites STUDY ia'
SIMMER was that DR.. White had told MIN that TIC 'D
WAS crazy and that all the Presbytery knew IT, MI
Holnshed declared that Dr. White had never siu all.
| thing Of the kind Mr.. Hollinsheds testimony was "
ustan the charge Of untruthfuness brought against 'e
| ,nie,or Nelson UuglsOn the last witness OF the
nrcacutlon testified that Mr.. Dill had made most III
! decent remarks to him about kissing woheh lie
prosecution then rested Its case
Elder A. q. smith. Mr. DilIs attorney
announced at the opening OF the defence that theS
| rnuld deny every charge and specification OF the
prosecutlon that alib for the defendant would be
proyed at the time Gray Torey testified that r' DiIi
| had told him OF his experiences in Paris.
The defence then interposed demurrer mar most Oh
the prosecutions evidence be stricken ont on the
rnd that under the Presbytery's law and usage the
statement OF the accuser cannot be admitted unless
rhs,ontlated The demurrer OveTued. MIR.
smith opened the case the defence by calling to the
| stand Elder S. ID. Young. OF the Mount ffeeuo"
| church The witness said that never In Mr. DllFs
pastorate at Mount Freedom had he seen IN his cohdc'
nor had he heard in his conversation anything what
soever improper lie had the highest respect lor Mr.
Dill j. C. Pumpelly of the Union League Cino oI
New-York the next witness, said that he had Rho"h
| the d, ferdant for SIX years most Intimately. MI
| NH had been at hl, house frequently aud not once
I'm that time had lie heard or observed anything hi-
uruper I'm the minister's conversation or actions lie
| entertained the greatest regard ana respect for Mr.
DIN. Richard King OF this place; David f. ,tiyher'
| Jacob Drake W NJ. Badcock Henry Wright H. >
| Bewman Andrew q. OFT. Elder Frank NJ Merchant
all Of Mount Freedom, testified to the same erect.
The prosecutions cross examination was unable 10
shake any Of the testimony . A.. n..,...o.
| TIN. Pre-. ,tcry has received letters from Professor
| FISK of Chicago Theological seminary, frOiess'i
| college speaking in the highest terms Of Mr. Dil
! character. They will not lr admitted, however "s
The Presbytcry adjourned at p. TO p m; TO-
morrow The annual meeting of the body VIII Oe
held In the morning