Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-08-01
REPORTERS EXCLUDED
None But Church Mem.
bers Allowed.
A BROCKTON SENSATION.
A Jury Session Ends Without Arriv-
ing at q Decision.

BRocKTOS, iass., Aug. 1.-The churcn
trial. in which Rev. N. b. Thompson o:
the South Congregational church at Cam
pello is srraiRned for immoral conduct.
was opened last evening In the church edi-
Zoe Of that society.
Apparently all Of the members Of the
shurch-male and female. old and young
improved the opportunity 20 listen to
the details Of the case, and 1t was found
necessary TO hold the session In the audi
snoe room OF the church.
The reporters Of the oity who have been
excluded from the church meeting4 IN this
case united in a petition respectfully re-
Quesbing that committee from their num-
Der might be permitted TO appear In the
meeting and present briefly the reasons
why IL would be best to permit them to
enter and report the prooeedinga
After long waiting II was learned by
waylaying a messenger sent for q wit
ness that the petition was read and that a
vote was taken not to admit reporters,
without even the suggestion OF q courteous
reply TO the courteous request The
ground for the decision Is said to have
been that 1t is not Congregational to ad-
NIT reporters to a church meeting
Miss u. SWnt
was present to give her testimony when
called for, and DR.. Berry and Mrs. West,
who were with Mr.. Thompson and Mrs.
Swift, the quartet at the famous dinner
at the United States hotel in Boston on
April Q, were also in attendance, DR.. Berry
being the right hand man of the accused
pastor
Ou side Of the church there was a gath
mi af hAy. h.. II
naturedly guyed the two deacons and jani-
occasionally opened to admit church men,
bers aud witnesses. On the streets Of
Catnpello there was an unusual number Of
people.
The Charges Under Investigation
are as follows:
To Rev. N. B. Thompson. a member of the
South Congregational church Of Brockton, IN
the state Of Massachusetts; You are hereby
accused as a member OF said church of con-
duct unbecoming Christian, aud in violation
OF the covenant of the church In the follow
ing particulars:
First-Thst you have been guilty of i'm
proper and overfrequent visits to the room Of
Mrs. Lillian NJ. Swift at Campello, Mass, at
various times
Second-rhat on the 9Th day Of April 1898,
by your invitation, Mrs. Lillian M. Swift and
two other persons dined with you at the
United states hotel In Boston. after which,
on the same day, you went to Portland, Me-,
with Mrs. Lillian NJ. Swift, occupying with
her stateroom on the boat during the night
OF April 9, 1893, and that you occupied with
the same lady room at the Preble House In
Portland, Me-, on the succeeding day and
night.
Third-That you have made untruthful
statements regarding this and other matters.
You are, therefore, cited to appear before
said church Monday evening, July 81, 1883, at
7s3o O'Clock, In Its house Of worship, to make
answer to said charges before the church.
The South Congregational church.
By Rufus b. Keith, clerk of said church.
Campello, Mass, July 81, 1893.
At the meeting last evening Hon. Ziba
O. Keith presided, and Rufus B. Keith
was the clerk. Preston Keith, Warren T..
Copeland, Nathan H. Washburn, Adel-
bert y. Keith and Charles II. Cole, the
Investigation committee OF the case
chosen by the church. was in charge Of the
proceedings.
The First Specifications
of overfrequent and improper visits to
Mrs. Swift in her room was taken up. and
Q number of witnesses were called BY the
committee. The ex-pastor was not Allow
to take advantage OF the vague nature of
these specifications and the wide margin
of judgment as to what is improper aud
overfrequent visiting In suoh a case. and
the witnesses were constantly perplexsd by
the cross-examination.
Mr.. Thompson was not allowed to call
IL esses, perhaps because 1t Is not nsces-
say to prove a negative, but the examina-
tion and cross-examination were very pro-
longed, and consumed the evening until
late hour. No definite results were
reached when an adjournment was taken.