The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-09-09
ASSAILED THE ELDER
Obscure Preacher Accused OF
Libeling Rev. I. B. Ford.
CIRCULATED A LONG scREED.
Presidfnx Elder OF the NJ. r. Church
HAs Hts Defsmer Arrssted-Ths
Mas Strange story.

in this section, in which he accuses 4 H.
FORD, the presiding elder Of the NJ. Z.
church, Seattle district. with seduction.
embezxlement Of missionary money, and
with securing his position By false repre-
sentations He also alleges that the title OF
ID. D. suffi xed 70 Mr.. Ford's name was OBJ
tanned as a favor for underhanded work
The circulating of this document was
carried on openly By Mr.. Nichols at the
recent revival services az the First
Methodist Episcopal church in this city
and at the Puget Sound conference, now
IN session at Tacoma. Mr.. Ford insisted
on having the conference investigate the
matter, and Yesterday q warrant was
sworn out in this city by c. w. Arnold.
one of the pillars of the First Methodist
Episcopal church, before Justice Hum
phrey, charging Nichols with criminal
libel The warrant was placed in the
hands Of Deputy Sheriff w. L. Meredith.
TO be served, and he Immediately
went to Tacoma, where Mich
OILS was still carrying on his
work in the defamation of Elder Ford.
Members of the church who have been
seen denounce the actions OF Nichols as
an outrage on dscency and an honest man.
and much sympathy is expressed for Mrs.
Ford. who has been dragged into the mire
by innuendo.
THE AUTHOR OF THE scREEp.
The author of this sensation IL q man
about 90 years old. a minister, whose
record 10 not well known, and who is
looked upon as crank" Mr.. Ford says
he is utterly at loss TO account for such q
false attack, and rather than allow il to
die, sought the courts for a yindication.
Nichols has been on the Pacific coast for
some tine, engaged. it is SAID, in expos
ing Masonry. He has lived IN
this city quietly, and never showed
his hand until the recent revival services
commenced. Then he went to the church
door and. having selected the people he
wanted to inform concerning Mr.. Ford,
commenced his work. He gave a type
written document to Rev. W. A. Shanklin,
pastor of the church. one TO Bishop Joyce,
others TO leading women in the congrega-
ton, and, when his stock ran out, had
others typewriter for public distribution.
This remarkable screed reads as follows:
THE OFFENDING CIRCULAR
"SEArrLE. Wash, April 90 1904
81 first became acquainted with Rev. T.
b. Ford in 1872 at the st. Louis confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal church,
where was appointed to Pine Bluff. Ark,
a new charge organized by Ford. The
male members were mostly 'pothouse
politicians of the lowest type. most of
whom did not pretend To be moral, much
less Christian. By misrepresentation of
the character of his work to Bishop Scott
Ford got himself appointed presiding elder
of district. In the spring of 1873 Arkan-
sas was organized into q separate confer
. . n sfp III iar
r. W. Hammett and T.. b. Ford as pre-
siding elders. Before going to conference
| learned that Hammett had smbezzled
some of the young preachers missionary
money. At the conference | learned that
ID. w. Calfee, whose money had been with
held, intended to arrest Hammett's char
acter. When the Fort Smith district was
called / inquired of q young preacher of
the name of Smith as TO the reason of the
absence of Calfee. He replied:
"'Calfee is afraid TO come into the
church. He is on the street Gillian and
Ford have ordered him 10 stay out until
Hammett's character passes. and have
threatened his expulsion from the minis
try and the church In case of his refusal
"'Well,' said /, we will see whether
these fellows can play that kind of game
in this conference
so arrested the passage of Hammett's
character: this vas az the organization of
the conference. so these gentlemen asked
me whether / intended To Join the new
conference and, on being answered in the
negative, objected TO my authority 10
make the arrest and were sustained
by the decision of Bishop Bowman. |
never knew why Ford was so much inter-
ested in the matter until / came to Califor-
MIA where, while attending the California
conference. Cslfee informed me that this
embezEled money went to T. B. Ford and
seH ar ella naH To- a al Ia 10
pay the way of another Ford while attend
ing the Arkansas agricultural and me
chanIcal college under pretense Of his
preparing tor the ministry in the Metho-
dist Episcopal church. when he dad not be-
long 10 IL. Ii any one interested doubts
this statement, let him examine last years
missionary appropriations TO paper APP
pointments on Seattle district and inter
view the supplies TO learn how much mis-
sionary money they have received.
In 1854 | transferred back TO the Ar
kansas conference. Bishop Bowman had
told me IN India, while en- route from Bonn
bay To Madras, that he had reduced Ham
NETT and Gillian TO the ranks on this wise:
There was a preacher By the name Of
Farmer. a graduate of Boston university
and theological seminary, down there
against whom Ford, Gillian and Hammett
had trumped up charges. They got their
rather plant conference brethren, who
were hinged, streaked and speck,ed' lot
OF fellows TO vote for a resolution admit
ting letters rs testimony. The bishop said
he allowed them TO proceed without inter-
posing any objection. Before they could
proceed 20 the case of Farmer the bishop
said;
Nov, brethren. have sufficient testi-
mony OF this kind 10 put the presiding
elders OF this conference out OF the minis
try aud out OF the church, at the same
time unloading both breast pockets of his
coat and laying them on the table before
him.
Now, said he, go on with the case Of
Brother Farmer / wiil attend TO your
case afterSard.' They grounded arms and
ran up the white flag.
'Ihsreupon the bishop deposed Ham
nett and Gillian from the pTesiding elder
ship. HAmmest VAS not a villain at
heart. bus lacked the force OF character 10
stand Up agains. the yillainy OF others
Gillian Was an opium eater. and occasion
ally woold get drunk. as Brother
bBshong. Of the Oregon conference, could
testify and had, / think. been 3 good man
Bus never heard Ford accused OF being
anything but q sc0gndFel or something
worse Ford deserves a patent on A new
method of making ones SELF a =. D.
I'm i>>i Rev. g. W. Gray, now at the
head OF the EpNorfh League was presi-
dent OF the Little Rock university OF The
Methodist Episcopal church A coz.
spiraey Vas brewing % drive Gray out of
his position. Is Afterwards succeeded and
enc Prof. Lewis, a nephew OF Bishop
Whey, then professor. vas appointed by
and wifh the consent Of Dr. Rusk The
means used hy Ford aud his accomplices
sAs lie "a this effect:
That Dr. cray bad said IN lecture at
Little Rock that be had travelled ST. over
Arkansas aad taken pains Ia inform him
sci or The subject ana that there was not
more than uheeinarrox load OF books n