New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-12
DIR. POTTER ARRAIGNED.
HIS FORMER ASSISTANT PASTOR DOES NOT
MINCE TERMS.

l.
MINCE TERMS.
THE REV JAMES w. PUTNAM HAS THING OR
TWO TO SAY ABOUT TIE PASTOR OF THE
TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH
AND DEFIEs ARREST.
Tho Rev James ". Putnam, formerly "s'S''''
pastor OF the Tabernacle BAPTIST Church who mas
I'm IN heated controversy with the Rev. d. I.
pot,or the m.stor of the church. had This 10 say
when secn Yesterday Mt his rooms, at No IT, oecohu
ave- After all these weeks OF seaman drought o"'
by the charges preferred against ID. I. fo'e'' Ps"
OF the Tabernacle Baptist Church, there seems 10 w
n demand for the results Of the investigating Com
mi,tee and the committee Is now ready 10 report o
morrow night their action. This report was written
two weeks before the committee actually entered upon
their deliberations By the Rev. Dr. Jesse H. Thomas
q gentleman who may know OF many laVorS e''"''
to him By Potter but who knows nothing ao'h' 'he
case except what he heard from Potter hhns"l' anu
who had no evidence before him I" he euiued pS'
Whether Dr. Thomas has only done himself the honor
OF being the clerk Of Potter for the time Delhg' OF
whether he was prompted TO write THIS report py
feelings OF gratitude for favOrs received In The past
can best be explained by DR.. Thomas himself
"Thc report OF the committee up to date says IN
substance that the Rev. James W. Putnam copas,or
Of the Baptist Tabernacle Church. charged Potter
immoral and that gave these charges to the press
and have thereby caused much scandal and that /
have treated the investigating committee win con-
tempt in refusing TO produce evidence ana witnesses.
The report states that the committee has nbored
long and arduously to ascertain evidence against
Potter and has failed to find anything detrimental
to his moral character and therefore exoneraes him
from all the allegations made against him, cens,res
me- and recommends that be cited to appear before
the committee. and Tint the church call council
10 examine and report upon the work OF the COM
mittee.
81 venture to say without the least fear OF sue
cessfu contradiction, that investigating committee.
either ecclesiastical or civil has ever produced more
croesque piece OF work. saturated with pious hypoc-
risy and bitter nockery, than this one. The gentle
OF this committee complain OF having been
treated with contempt by me, and that refused 10
produce evidence and witnesses. How could any one
treat n man like Mr.. Vanderpoe rie chairman OF
that committee, the hired attorney OF Potter with
any degree OF respect recalling that he was oneof
the first 10 speak in the most contemptuous manner
about the moral rottcnness OF Potter, to which he
added emphasis quite becoming the present al
vocac of Potter. Up TO the open rupture between
the two pastors OF the Tabernacle Vanderpoel was
the most bitter enemy Of Potter. and called him
common thief and from the platform OF the Colgate
Chapel as late last winter, Vanderpocl said that
potter is q d. thief Vanderroel at that time was
superintendent Of the Colgate Chapel Sundays school,
and is now
"who could treat a man like Or. Attarlnn with high
respect, remembering that Potter himself stated to
the Rev Mr.. Lee Of staten Island, and others that
Atarian is worthless good nothing fellow whom
he supported for several and then drove away
or does Ataran expect esteem on account OF his re-
lnuonshlp by marriage TO the young lady In Potter
church-hOuse whose mysterious and underlined posi-
ton IS soon TO be explained? Or should Max Just
be entitled TO respect because he Is the brother OF
Or thp fact
Mr. Glassford has judgment recorded against him
self ard Potter make him worthy OF consideration
No sane man would have put evidence In the
hands OF a committee that has wilfuly adopted OBJ
noXious rules binding every witness TO secrecy under
cath, with tbe object H. view OF burying testimony
forever. Their only merit To be members OF such
an important committee is the fact that they arc
ready and willing 10 do the bidding OF Potter THIS
willingness and determination TO exonerate Potter
were manifested By Mr. vanderpoel AT the meeting at
which tho charges were first brought against Potter,
when he mevsd that Potter sever III relations win me-
1.-THE committee. in is report, states that 1t IS
unable TO find anything detrimental 10 lOttcrs moral
character. j. II indeed very difficult for set ~
honorable men who have laborcd long and ariuo'sly
to find evidence detrimental 10 the character OF man
whose whole life seems 10 lave been one long unln'
tcrrupcd falsehood and who as late as Last saturday
evening after entertaining Deputy Sheriff Hamilton
for nearly an hour IN his ROOM declared - reporter
the sheriG's presence the premises. while at the
same time a deputy -shcrI guarding the property
in the church gallery
The committee further recommends that council
be called TO review the work OF the committee. What
"A cunning shrewd device II Is Of calling council 10
review the work Of n committee that had no Witnesses
or evidence before II which the prosecutors OF ;llis
case furnished ! do not believe that a Christian
community will ndorsc any such action. The press
and the people ask that light be turned on. This can
only be done In two ways. Either By submitting al
the charges with the evidence and witnesses bloF"
committee from sister churches, church council
or to have me arrested for libel and tlus bring tn
whole matter before n court OF justice. As Potter
has frequently pleaded that my connection with MS
church prevents him from arfpsting me, J.. 10 Sho"
nv willingness 10 him impartial grounds, do
hereby offer TO withdraw from his church whenever
am assured that he will have me arrested II Tor any
reason ! should fail n reach al honorable TRIBUNAL
within or without a church. shall place the evidence
and witnesses before the public and let them become
the Jurors The testimony H. clear. convincing anh
sufficient. / stake my all my ability to convict
d. C. Potter Of every crime charged against him.