Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-05-13
THERE IS A VACANCY.
EVANGELIST SAWYER FAILED TO PRACTICE
WHAT He PREACHED,
And as Result He Has Resigned as the Head o
the Peoples Church, While the Public
Has a Sensation to Gossip Over.

SNSS-f
Following in the wake OF his prede-
cessor, BENZ. Hogan, sometime middle
weight pugilist, rounder, and all around
tough, who left the ring for the pulpit,
and later left the pulpit for a suit OF
striped clothes, Mr.. C. w. Sawyer, the
evangelist in charge of the Peoples
Church, on Market street, south of
Fourteenth, has handed in his resigna-
ton, and will probably seek other and
more congenial fields Of labor.
Matters came to focus at meeting
of those interested in the welfare of the
church Wednesday night, in the Dlrec-
tors room of a certain banking estab-
lshment. Mr.. Sawyer was there, and
made a statement, the exact nature OF
which could not be ascertained.' There
was a long discussion of the subject,
and as result Mr.. Sawyer is said to
have handed in his resignation.
This trouble for Mr.. Sawyer had its
origin in the publication of certain
evidence taken at the Leslie murder
trial, it being there sworn to that the
Evangelist had been drinking beer at
the unseemly hour Of midnight with
company not esteemed to be proper for
one in his position. This came to the
notice of those deeply interested in the
Church, and at the same time became
noiSed about the city, coupled with
other matters which were not in evil
dence at the trial, and which lost moth
ing of their interest by constant repeti-
tiOns.
Yesterday a reporter for the REGIS
TER, hearing of some of these rumors,
visited a boarding house in certain
section OF North Wheeling, where Mr..
Sawyer held forth for nearly year.
1t was there alleged that when
Mr.. Sawyer and his wife first
roomed at the house they had but one
apartment, but later they were given
another room adjoining. There was
drinking going on in the room nearly
every night. and the best OF whisky was
used, the proprietor saying that Mr..
Sawyer was accustomed TO send out fire.
quently after the very best of the fluid.
Beer was also common beverage, and
this was disposed OF in great quantities.
1t is related that on certain night, at
the close of the evangeliStic meeting,
Mr.. Sawyer came back to his room, and
a friend who afterward called to
see him went out several times
after beer, and kept up quite racket
running back and forth until after mid
night. Finally the wife OF the proprie-
tor objected to the man disturbing the
household, and got up and went TO lock
the front door on the inside, when Mr.
Sawyer, in frenZied state CT mind, evil
IDENTIFY Induced by drink, told her if she
dared lock the door he would break out
every panel. She finally went back to
bed and let him have his own way. But
a day or two after he and his wife were
politely told TO seek other quarters,
which they did.
Mr.. Sawyer upon arriving home from
the meetings was in the habit OF eating
singular night dishes, aud his wife
would go Immediately to cooking, serv-
ing up green's and other such dishes,
but particularly green's, as she said Mr.
sawyer udu W udN6 SIoCuo 4Ol VI I'LL
food. In this way the house became
thoroughly scented. They also had a
habit OF placing a card on the outside Of
their door, indicating that they were
out. 1t would frequently remain on
the door all day and the door would be
locked, while they were on the inside
drinking and carousing. Such conduct
would hardly seem to be compatible
with the requirements of an Evangelist.
Mr.. Sawyer is not a regularly or
dained minister. Before he became an
evangelist, he was commercial trav-
eler, with strong convictions of re-
liyious nature, and little by little he
was drawn into religious work until it
monopolized all his time and attention.
He is a pleasant gentleman, of per
haps - years, Of commanding and
striking presence, and had many warm
friends here, who deeply regret that he
should have been so indiScreet.