St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-20
CALLED THE COURT IN.
The Trouble in the Lutheran
Church Camp Comes to
a Head.
Augsburg Seminary Officials
Bounced Out by the
United Church.
Flames From a Pipe or Cigar
Ignite Quite a Fire Of
Barns.
General Notes and Comment
in the Flour City Yes
terday.

The fierce war among the factions of
the United Lutheran church culmln-
ated yesterday morning in a suit
brought by the United Norwegian Luth-
eran Church of America against Augs-
burg Seminary and others. The COM
plant is lengthy one, and cites the
allegation that the plaintiff owned
publishing plant i'll the Tabernacle, and
published two weekly papers there
from. A library was also i'll their pos
session, and, among other things, safe,
in which the defendant owned a half
interest only. The complaint states
that on June II the Augsburg seminary
people came to the place mentioned
when Lars Swensen, the secretary, was
in charge, and furcibly thrusting him
from the front OF the safe shut the door
and altered the combination, and aft
erwards diSpossessed Swensen.
The complaint alleges that the safe
contained $4,000 in notes and mort
cages. Sl0,0U0 in accounts, SIS, 600 in ac-
counts due from the congregation, and
500 in cash. In the offices was stock
of books worth $4,000, and 4 printing
plant, plates, etc, worth S95, The
court is asked TO issue an injunction
compelling the Augsburg people to give
uU the possession and not modest an
article in the place until they do so. The
right to possession VIII afterwards be
fought out in the county courts.
Acting under an order fr,i;n the court,
the sheriff placed man im-,oS,tSsiOn of
the disputed property, and he will see
that nothing is taken away until The
quarrel is settled. The Augsburg peo-
pie went to the court house and asked
that the deputy be taken away, but the
courts ORDER stood. The matter will be
bitterly fought.
The surroundings of the dormitory of
Augsburg seminary, in which is located
the offices and composing rooms of the
Augsburg Publishing company, wore an
air of suppressed excitement yesterday
morning, though all appeared peaceful,
in spite of the warm legal battle that
was raging. A crowd was in the vicin-
ity, but it consisted solely of the mem-
berS of the board of trustees of the
United Lutheran church, and of the
standing committee appointed By the
church to look after its publications. A
half score of printers who are employed
in the establishment completed the per-
sonnet Of the crowd.
Inside the building was a minion OF
the trustees of Augsburg seminary, who
stood guard over the building and would
allow no one to enter. Early in the fore
noon Seldom Bacon and deputy sheriff
drove up and served on Halvor EDge-
moen, the new treasurer of Augsburg
seminary, restraining order signed by
Judge Russell, in which he was forbid
den to interfere with the officers of the
In1f pll fhG.ir lam nj
the rooms of the publishing department,
and especially in issuing two religious
papers, kirkebladet and BornebIadet.
Mr.. EngemOeu was not at all put out
by the legal document. In fact. he was
not interfering at all. The doors OF the
building were of course locked. Sew
eral of the trustees of the United church
had gathered since the trouble arose last
Saturday, and they conferred earnestly
but very decUrously with Mr.. Bacon
and the deputy sheriff. 1t was suggested
that the doors be forced, but as this
could not be legally done it was frowned
down. The printers wanted to see
a little excitement, and were willing to
assist. but received no encouragement.
Among those who We're gathered about
the building were liver Larson, preSl-
dent OF the trustees of the United
church; Halle Steensland, of Madison,
Wis.,, secretary; o. OnnStad, Eau Claire,
and a. Il. Himle, trustees, and RevS. A.
G. Anderson and OStby, and Prof. E. q.
Larson. the last three being members OF
the publishing committee of the church.
Finally the attorney,th deputy sheriff
and others drove away. 1t was report
ed that they had gone to the court to
secure writ by which the Waterman
could be elected from the buiIdiny
Shortly after Prof. Ottedal, the leader
OF the faction which now holds AugS-
burg seminary and all its alleged appur-
tenances, together with Attorney Kol-
liner, drove up in a hack. They i'll
quired for the legal representative of
the party that wanted to gain admit
tanee into the building, and were sur
prised To learn that they had departed.
Treasurer EngemOen created great
amusement by ordering off the grounds
all persons that were TO him particu-
larly Objectionable. He put up strong
bluff by taking down their names,
which were readily given. Among these
were Rev. Anderson, A. l.. Himle, o.
p. Blackstad, the bookkeeper, and his
Attorney Koliiner, he demanded that
the parties whose names had been Sc
cured should be arrested. The attorney
said there was no doubt but that all
could be locked up as treSpasSers, but
thought it better not to take such steps
in view of the religious nature of the
amused at this, as both EngemOen and
Kolliner carried in their pockets copies
of the courts restraining order.