Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-05-21
AN UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE
REMARK ABLE SCENE AT THE
v. M c. A. HALL.

cal speech At q Religious Cath /
ering-COutradlcted BY H. A
GudRer-A Cause OF Much Dis |
cussiOn.
A most unlocked for, and deeply re-
grettable occurrence was injected into the |
y. NJ. c. A. gospel meeting yesterday
afternoon-not through any fault OF this |
noble institution, however.
1t was the occasion of the address to |
men by Rev. ]. L. White, pastor of the
First Baptist church, on "The Seventh
Commandment; or. The Sanctity ofI
Marriage" There were near 800 per
sons in the hall. Mr.. White argued
upon his subject from scriptural stand !
point. He said, in carrying out his ar
guments, that houses of i'll fame existed
in Ashevile, to the knowledge Of every
body, and read three ordinances OF tho
city intended to suppress the houses
alluded to. He did not accuse the author
tiles, but asserted that everybody would
admit the ordinances had not been en-.
forced. He knew the Mayors heart was
in the work of enforcing the ordinances.
Mr.. White called upon those of the audi
cnce who werein favor of ridding the city
of these houses and would uphold the
Mayor and citizens of this town in aid of
this work to rise, and the gathering rose
in body.
Mr.. White, further, mentioned the
obscene literature, pictures and posters
to be found here, and alluded partic-
ularly to the Police Gazette. On sug-
gestion of Hon. H. A. Gudger, he called
on all who favored suppression of the
Gazette to stand up and the audience
again arose.
Mr.. White said that what he stated
was merely presentation of facts, not
in criticism OF the city government,
but to see if some method could not
be devised whereby the city could be
rid of disreputable houses.
When Mr.. White had concluded his ad-
dress Mayor 7. W. Patton was named,
he having during Mr.. Whites talk sent
note to Secretary Willis, asking to be
called on. He defended the city authori-
ties in their efforts to enforce the ordi-
nances against persons keeping houses OF
i'll fame, and argued that they had done
all in their power. lie stated that one
woman of notorious character had been
convicted before him and fined $50, and
that she took an appeal to the Criminal
court, her attorney going her bail, and
when court came the witness for the
prosecution could not be found and so
the cost had to be accepted. or it would
have fallen on the city. He also stated
that he ould give he name Of the at
torney it called upon, repeating this invi-
tation twice or three times.
Some person in the audience therefore
said: Name him." and the mayor
said: Mr.. - -. name him"
said tie mayor. because his father has
frequently criticised my every action"
He said another woman had been con
victcd of keeping house of i'll fame be-
fore Acting Mayor Westall and had ap-
pealed to the Criminal court, whcreupon
the solicitor of that court offered to go
bail for her appearance, and that the
acting mayor, deeming it useless to bind
a person to court to be prosecuted by
her bail, dropped her case. These wee
he said, some of the difficulties in ell
forcing the law, and declared his willing
ness to do everything in his power to
carry out the law.
The Mayor next referred, i'll an
earnest and impassioned manner
to certain incidents of the recent munici.
pal contest. lie said his moral charac.
ter had been assailed in a political
meeting in thecourt house Saturday night
before the election, when members of his
own church, perhaps members of tn;
Presbyterian church, and certain mem
bcrs of the Methodist chlRch, and mem
bers of the Baptist church had sat by ant
never offered to defend him. The Mayor
here asked, "lsu't that so, Mr.. Gudger?'
and that gentleman replied, mo, sir"
{; The Mayor further said he had told q
worthy member of the Methodist church
at that time (pointing at Hon. II. A
Gudeer) and worthy member OF thu
Baptist church (pointing at Mr.. Martin
that if he had heard their characters as
sailed in a similar manner. he woult
: have defended them. He pointed at Mr.
Martin and said in very impassionet
manner, "Yes, Martin l would hav'
defended your character il it had cost MT
the little mayorality of such town a:
Asheville."
Mr.. Gudger then asked to be allowed
, to interrupt the speaker and said tha
5 perhaps Capt. Patton did not know it
5 but that he, Gudger, had made speecl
5 at the time, speaking both for himsel
c and Mr.. Martin. and had said that tn
Z Mayor was an upright, honorable, chris
c tian gentlemen, against whom nothing
could be said.
Here Mr.. WilIiss and Mr.. Whit
Y spoke to the Mayor, attempting to quie
t him and get him to be seated, and aitc
k making few remarks, the Mayor rt
t sulned his seat.
j. Mr.. Williss then said he thought tina
during this interval the spirit OF God ha
departed; that what had been said wa
foreign to the subject, and that thi
meeting was in the interest OF the me
+ who supported these houses to sho,
them the evil of their ways. and not t
is show the dereliction of anybody. M
,fl Williss asked that the meeting ioi
- in prayer. The PRAYER was led b
u Mr.. White, and at its conclusion tt
1. meeting was adjourned.
h The news Of the unusual occurTen,
spread very rapidly, and yesterday an
+. today was discussed everywhere as OF
ID of the most extraordinary and lamen
&c able events that eyer occurred in Ash
IS vile or anywhere.