The evening world., 1893-07-10
BE Cannot Dispossess Dr. Putnam,
His Former Co-PastoE
Tabernacle Baptist Church Affairs
Aired In Court
Two Parson, Mako 1t Lively for the
Judge.

pastorate. with Rev. DR.. Daniel c. Pot
ter and Rev. James w. Putnam in the
| rc, OF the Siamese twin parsons. got
| public airing this morning before Civil
Justice Moore. sitting in Judge ALFRED
! Steckler's court.
1t was case OF landlord and tenant.
with DIR. Potter appearing as the re-
lentless landlord seeking to evict ten
ants in the person Of his co-parson. Rev.
Putnam, and John p. Elder. an alleged
sub tenant,
Chief Clerk Julius Hamburger. who
boasts that Judge Steckler's Court tries
5000 and more landlord and tenant cases
each year. a number greater than that
or all the other district courts COM
bined. called the calendar at 10 o'clock.
In response to the call of Porter VS..
Putnam and Elder, Rev. DR.. Potter
answered.:
Potter appears In person"
Edward s. Clinch. a member OF the
two-headed tabernacle, appeared as at
torney for the defendants.
DIR. Potter was his own first witness,
and 1t took all the combined efforts Of
Judge Moore and Lawyer Clinch to hold
him within the rules of evidence.
DR.. Potter looks like anything but a
divine. lie. was dressed in sporty look-
that Rev. Putnam had been his tenant,
occupying the third fiat Of l62 Second
avenue. building erected and owned
When ny Putnam came over ere to % be co.eaHsi qua
with him as pastor Of the Tabernacle
Baptist Church.
He said that Rev. Mr.. Putnam agreed
that the rent Of the fiat was to be counted
as 500 month on mis- salary Of 500 a
month; that the rent was to be due on
the 23d Of each month: tnat May % Mr..
Tabernacle by public announcement to
the congregation, and the church de-
cided to dispense with Rev, Putnam's g
services, but Mr.. Putnam had continued
to remain in the occupancy of the fat
had refused to move out. and had also
refused to pay any rent to him (Potter),
the fnf.1 hss done e' nothing af snes May % to
serve me or the church," said DR.. Potter
from the witness stand. II was to
take, IN lieu, of 500 rent. services to
Mr.. Clinch. as preliminary to cross
examining DR.. Potter. said:
our contention is that the Tabernacle.
not Or. Potter, is our landlord; that that We q,
and that. instead Of owing rent. we are
entitled to our back pay"
DR.. Potter said, on cross-examination,
! that by agreement the fiat was a part
of his salary. He wouldn't admit that
L.. had been recently examined In sup
nor sha. he had
ceed!ngs that he owned no property.
Who pays your salary?" asked Mr..
Clinch.
I DR.. Potter objected combatively. He
said he'd not like to draw other people
into the controversy. and then added.
John d. Rockefeller pays me-"
BY whom has MFR. Putnam's salary
well. that's a large question"
Make it as narrow as you can. and
I After much contention. DR.. Potter said
at all since July: His salary was TO be
500 year, !anS and Or, Potter thought he
! Il guess l let him handle all the money
he has received" said the sporty-looking
Dr. Potter was forced to relate the
substance OF an agreement between him
and Mr.. Putnam made month ago by
which OH severing their relations each
to and da Dr. Poar 1 %s. fS0q 70 help
On June 10 DR.. Potter addressed nots
typewritten by Miss Julia Just to Rev.
lit is a fuli month since you declared
before the trustees that you had severed
all tben Ho WITH the a and
another place to live"
Mr.. Clinch drew out that the build;
Ing. 1852 Second avenue. was exempted
from taxation on the ground that It was
church property. used only for church
purposes. and not as source Of outside
II Wish to state"Sbesan r. Potter.
II don't want you to state anything
except IN IN An answsr y.,,,S to my questions" In
But l shall make a statement. What
reioined pr. Potter. hotly:
Pottef's statement was chicken of.
and Rev: Mr.. Putnam, a tall. ,rawboned
mas en tooa tke stand mar ana 0r''''ns
He testified that. John. p Elder. q
neat young man. who had stood behind
Are all the other elders your guests.
too?" blurted out DR.. Potter.
Mr.. Putnam stated that DR.. Potter
vailed upon him to come on to New
nacie baptist Church with him, at 9
S" He SAID! a' You'll % h'' get S~s saoo a month
Jame as l do" related Mr.. Putnam
1isntvslts nH%t after ia Ia been here while
SO / drew that after that. '''
DIR. Potter said 20 me: You won't
need to deal with the church. ! am the
church Shu, Sa :, myself they % WIN stand La By any
word abou. the rent prices OF the third
Nat.
The last salary drew was a check
signed by Treasurer Williams. 1t was
so long ago II Is almos. beyond the
memory OF man-two months, I guess
Got another 500 out Of a limited fund
from DIR. Potter.
"Dr. Potter called a while back and
said: i want the rent for two months
at 500 a month told him: You car
tell the Board Of Trustees that when
they pay my back salary I will con.
slider the question Of rent"
At this point DR.. Potter asked for an
adjournment to give him a chance to
produce witnesses, as the affair had
degenerated to a question Of veracity
between him and Mr.. Putnam.
This was denied and young Mr.. Elder
took the stand. In the course Of his tes-
timony, In confederation of Mr.. Put.
nam, DR.. Potter said sarcastically:
That's right: look at the learned
counsel and get your points before you
There was a protest by Mr.. Clinch,
and DR.. Potter asked the witness:
III you got the proper signal from Mr..
Clinch, would you have declined to an
Yes. sir. 1 would" hotiy replied young
Mr. Elder, while Clinch objected with
a very much flushed face. and the crowd
In the court room laughed In enjoyment
OF the s9uabble. Again DR.. Potter said