The morning call., 1892-05-30
BENNETT BOUNCED.
The Secretary of Vice Expelled
From His Church.
His Associates in the Prevention isociety
Still Continue TO Enjoy His Society for
Reasons Known to Themselves

Charles r. Bennett IS still secretary Of
the California Society for the Prevention Of
Vice, but he is no longer a member of the
First Christian Church of Oakland. That
organization Withdrew fellowship from him
yesterday on the ground of dlsorderly con-
duet, unbecoming a Christian.
w. T. Gibbs and Samuel Gray, the elders
of the church. had investigated tie charges
Of the Beneficiary scandal. and reported
unfaVorably for Bennett at the close Of the
morning service. To sustain them they
quoted from tie Apostle Paul this verse:
We command you In the name Of our Lord
Jesus Christ brethren, to withdraw yourselves
from all that walk dlSOrderly and not according
TO The pIeeepts which we have given unto you.
No specific charges were made, but they
recommended withdrawal and a vote " as
taken by the congregation, unanimously
supporting the recommendation. The name
of Miss Gray, who is also a member Of the
church. was not mentioned.
Rev. Dr.. Sweeney, the pastor, had no ec-
cesiastcal authority in the case. he stand
ing only as one member OF the congregation.
The whole power of expulsion Icy in Tie
church, which is congregational in its
policy.
While no specific charges were made
against the sleek secretary of the Society
for the Prevention of Vice. the causes
which led to his being driven from the
ground on which he had gTaZsd so long are
no secret to the public. About three weeks
ago Oakland society was Mortified by the
pillar OF the church being charged with
having betrayed young girl named Ella
Gray, the daughter OF a railroad contractor
Of the new Athens. The story told was n
most horrible one, showing Bennett up in a
villainOus role.
In 1883 Miss Gray Joined the Christian
Church, according to the story told 10y her
mother. Here she met Bennett, who WAS
one Of the leading members, a singer in the
choir and one Of the leading spirits in tile
church Representing himself as a single
man, he accompanied the girl home from
the meetings IN the evening and soon be-
came constant visitor at the house. The
girl had never associated with men, and
Bennett took good care that she saw no one
else after meeting him.
Getting her interested in matters of re-
ligl0n, he then sullied her ears with what
the unfortunate Girl fondy imagined were
words Of love. Under the cloak OF religion
the schemer infatuated Miss Gray and sue
ceeded. so her parents charge, in accom-
plishing her ruin. She got into a delicate
condition ana criminal operation was per-
formed on her. When she was in her
trouble she learned how base was the man
on whom she had bestowed her love.
Disguised with her betrayer, she sought
to escape from his clutches. She went to
work as typewriter for a Mr.. Heap, and
when she refused to have anything more to
do with Bennett the tue character If the
wretch came out, and in most dastardly
manner he went to the girls employer with
stories rejecting upon her character, and 1t
was this that brought the whole story out.
Benefits employers, the officers of the
Society for the Prevention Of Vice, as
usual refused to believe that their idol had
done anything wrong; but the church
authorities would not be hoodwinked aud
the pillar was incOntinently fred