Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-03
A TEST CASE.
is THE SUNDAY LAW coNsTlru
TiONAL9
Eleven Tennessee Adyenlisis Placed on Trial
for Working on the First Day Of
the Week.

Paris, Tenn, Feb 2-llleven seventh.
day udveutists We're placed ON trial IN
the Henry county criminal court Tuesday
morning charged with violating the
law of Tennessee by working on their
farms ON sunday. The case has ut
tructed Widespread attention, owing TO
the fact that 1t will be used TO
test the constitutionality of the Ten
ncssee sunday law and will uudoubt-
edly go to the supreme court of the
United States. Eminent counsel has
been employed to defend the rights of the
prisoners, among them being Don NJ.
Dickinson. of Michigan IL is also said
that Robert q. lngcrsoll has been re-
tanned To assist in presenting the case to
the United States supreme court when
IL reaches that tribunal The defendants
and their attorneys expect that q verdict
Will be returned against them In the Icut
nessce courts as the supreme court of this
state has already affirmed the cunstitu.
tiOnnlity of the Sunday law IN several de-
cisions The real fight will not take place
until the case reaches the federal courts.
The names of the men arrligncd are
w. &. Ward, Frank Stern, Hurry Ward
Joel Parker, Rufus Ward, Billy DOrtch,
Lon Dortch, Charles and John Wilson.
j. Il. Finch and Samuel Ballmon. al
of whom are honest, hardworking farmers
residing near Paris The National
Liberty association. am organization witf
headquarters at Chicago and Battle Creek
Mich, has employed couikel for the
adyentists to conduct the clsc through
the courts This association has srnt
circulars TO every sevcnth-day adventist
IN the United States and Cnuadu calling
attention TO the alleged persecution of
their brethren In Tennessee, Pefpsyl
wanna and other states and has succeed
ed in raising large sum of money tu
make "a test case.
This action on the part Of the National
Liberty association was caused by the ar
rest aud conviction of four seyUnth-duy
ndventists In June. 1892, chUigcd with vio-
lating the Sunday law. The defendants,
W. ). Lowry. j. Ii. Douch, James
stern and j. Noon were convicted ON
their own testimony that they had work
ed on their farms Sunday. no other cvi.
dence being introduced. In his charge
TO the jury Judge w. H. Swiggart quoted
the decisions Of the Tennessee supreme
court affirming the coustituuonality Of
the Sunday law, and said there was no
alternative but To find the defendants
guilty. The jury promptly returned Ven.
dict In accordance with the instructions.
aud fine of 81 and costs was imposed on
each Of the defendants They declined
10 pay IL, and in default were sent TO
jail, but they were afterwards put 90
work ON the public roads,
The reason rs given by the authorities,
that they were put 10 work ON the public
roads is that, though able to pay their
fines, they refused 10 do sO aud had been
in jail FOR over forty days ul the pN-
pense Of the county. The case was
brought 10 the attention of lhe
National Liberty association which or
glnizutiuu at once began It's WORK of rails
ing funds 10 protect their brethren from
further alleged prosecution. Last August
circulars were scattered broadcast over
the country calling attention 10 the arrest
and conviction Of seyenth-day adyentists
In Tennessee.
This circular. which was headed In
the Chnin-gung for Conscience Sake
concludes as follows:
July Is, iu the year Of our Lord 1897,
witnessed sight that reyves the mono
Iies Of religious persecution of the Dark
Ages. Al Paris, Tenn. four christian
men had been lying in jail since June 3,
lS92, for the crime of fOllOwingthcir com
mon yOcntiOns on Sunday 10y working
ON the fnrm-plowing hocing, etc. The
term of one having expired. the other
three, after lying In jail iOrty.tour days,
We're Monday, July Is, marched through
the streets in company with some cOlorcd
criminals and put 10 work shovoling on
the common highway All three were
men Of family. one 30, another G2 years
of age
About two months ago the eleven men
were arrested, charged with lubOring on
their farms on Sunday The National
Liberty association again issued circu.
lars cnling attention 10 the present. ease
and referred to the conviction Ina this
county last June In the following Ian
guagc:
ION July Is last moral crime was
committed In the state Of Tennessee. n
crime which should lire with Indignation
every patriot in the land, crime over
al,t oil. a fat
ults Il crime So hldeOus in IL character
and so vital In the far-rcnchiug principles
involved that any man acquainted with
facts is rccrcant 10 his manhood of he
remains silent; crime which reveals IN
a startling manner the presence and
power In our midst of the spirit OF in.
tolerance which glmOst 1000 years ago
pursued 10 the cross nay. further, taunt.
ed in the thrOes of deaths 0gouy--O
great serene, God-ilumed soul The
great prophet Nazareth had asserted the
right OF man and had declared that man
was TO be judged by the fruits shown
in life aud not 10y observations of rites.
forms or dogmas He had declared that
the Sabbath was made for man and not
man for the Sabbath
Brethren. shall this persecution con.
niue in free America Eleven men
are now under arrest at Paris charged
with 0beying their conscience by laborng
on their farms on what Is commonly
called Sunday. This organization pro-
poses TO make test ease, but In order
10 do so il will require money to EN-.
ploy counsel Brethren. come forward
with your contributions
This circular attracted attention all
over the country and IL is said that q
large sum Of money was raised. Eminent
lnwyers were employed and all the neccs-
snry arrangements have been made 10
fight the case through all Of the courts.
Additional interest will be attracted
10 the case by the fact that six railroad
employees viii be- arraigned az the same
| time. charged with performing unncccs-
sary labor on Sunday Their names are
| r. NJ. Tmmony. section foreman. Ned
| Williams LIKE Gardner Bud Cavill