The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-25
THE CHARGES NOT PROVEN
Methodist Preacher at Brazil Demands
q Trial and 0yercomes His Enemy.
Bynum Tangled Up in the ElwoOd POstoffice-
Miss Byrkit. Of Albany. ElOpes with Her
New Castle Sweetheart-0ther News.
REV. swITzER ACQUITTED.


Chamberlin's Charges Not Sustained In IN
Ali-Nisht Trial at Brazil.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
BRAZIL. Ind. May 24-It seems, for some
cause. that George b. Chamberlin. of La
fayette. editor and proprietor of the Battle
Ground Repository, also member of the
Northwestern Indiana Conference of the
Methodist Church, has held an enmity
against Kew. George w. Switzer. who now
Is pastor of the NJ. E Church of this city.
On two occasl0ns he boldly charged him
with falsehood, and also preferred other
charges against him. claiming In one In
stance that he secured the confidence OF
Mrs. Whitehead and then used it against
Rev. Petit. who was sentenced to the
northern prison several years ago for pois-
oning his wife. The allegations were made
in strong language. and q copy of the paper
sent to each member of the conference.
However. these efforts had little effect on
the minds of members of that body. as no
action was taken at their last meeting on
the matter. but instead. the subject of the
reprosch was given Brazil church which
10 among the best in the district. After Mr..
Chsmberln became cognizant of what the
conference had done. he again assaiIed Mr.
Switzer, stating that he was given o place
among the coal miners. He sent o marked
copy of his periodical TO the various papers
of this city, virtually asking them TO copy
the article. Not wishing to rest under the
burden OF the charges. Mr.. Switler asked
that the church make an investigation or
the charges and determine for itself their
truth or untrutb. The affair comes under
hs in nj ofr af
who called meeting in this city yesterday
afternoon. at 2:30 o'clock. Mr. Woods oc-
cupied the chair. and Rev. 8. B. Town, of
Greencastle. was CHOSEN secretary. Miss
grapher. Rows. S. p. Goblin. of Fowler.
Ind. and II. M. Middleton. of
Greencastle, were selected as coun-
sci for the defense. and Revs. DR.:
Haly. of Thorntown, and 4. NJ. Pavey. of
Rock port. as counsel for the church. The
case: w. Ii. Hickman. Greencastle;
Thomas Meredith. Clinton; Prof. 4. J. Bas-
sett. Greencastle; ID. &. Haskell. Greon-
castle; A. A. Greer. South Bend: :.
Charlottesville. and Dean Hilary GObin. Of
DePauw theological School
After considerable pickering 1t was
finally greed by Chairman Woods
to dismiss DR.. Goblin from the jury as the
representatives of the church declared him
incompetent by reasons of intelli gence he
had previously received on the case. A set
to then occurred between the opposing
counsel6 as to the manner IN which jury
men should be questioned to ascertain their
eligibility to try the case. After consider
able parleying Mr.. Woods specified q form
for examining the jurymen. This. how.
ever. did not meet tho approbas ion OF the
plaintiffs counsel, and an exception vas
made and entered. Finally. the jury was
accepted. The secretary WAS asked to read
the charges against the accused, which he
did from two issues of the Repository. 1t
was mutually decided that the newspaper
articles were too long and diversified to
accept a charge and the meeting adj
journed until 7:30 O'clock TO give counsel
time to reduce the charge TO an abbreviated
form.
At the appointed hour the ministers
again Assem- bled. and tho attorneys for the
church read concise charge. signed by
Mr.. Cham berlin. This was a meager state
ment of the accusations made in the Re-
pository, and 1t was demanded that the
cuttings made by the defense be accepted
as charges. This was objected to by the
church, but overruled by the Judge. con-
seQuently the additions were interDolated
in the charge. When asked what testimony
they had 10 offer the attorneys for the
church said they had none: that they were
called on suddenly TO act as counsel. had
no time to secure evidence, and moved that
the case be yenued TO era fordsville and
continued until Aug. 23. This the defense 8
attorneys objected TO and the chair sus-
tanned the objection and demanded an i'm.
mediate hearing. The defense then moved
that the copies of the Repository contsiniDR
the charges. whichwere the October number.
1872 and the issue of March. 1893 be intro
duced as evidence against the accused re-
gsrdless of the wish of the church. There
was protest against this but it was disre-
Garded. the judge deciding for the defens Sc.
An exception was entered in the records by
the prosecution. The specific charge
case went 10 the jury at 8 o'clock this
morning and was decided for the defend
ant. Chamberlin declares he will appeal
the case to higher authority and fight it to