The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-20
A CHURCH IN COURT
Rev. Reuben Cline's Congregation
Attending a SANDER Suit.
The Preachers Nephew's Love for De-
PENDANT Meyers Daughter Started
a Series of Quarrels.

Eighteen months ago. when the Rev.
Reuben Cline went TO North indianapolis
to- take into his care the Baptist flock of
the West Union Church, he bad no doubt
that the outcome of his sojourn with the
chosen would prove fatteringly successful.
Subsequent developments have proven the
fallacy of the reverend gentleman's rea-
soning. Yesterday the entire congrega-
ton, with it's pastor, was In the Circuit
Court. Rev. Mr.. Cline is pitted against
Isaac Myers, one of the pillars of the
church., in a $4,000 scandal suit Of ugly
proportions. Isaac Myers. a prominent
farmer living northwest of the city, is the
defendant.
In n lengthy complaint, alleging a series
of malicious acts and speeches, MIR. Cline
accuses the defendant Myers of having
subjected him to the utmost humiliation
and scandal. The suit for $4,000 was fled
some months ago. and grew out of a gem
eral church row. in which half the neigh
borhood was implicated. The trouble, which
began in the justice courts in this city.
eliminated in Greenleaf Hall, North In
dianapoiis, on April %. 1893. On that occa-
sion Mr.. Cline AYERS that he was charac-
terized by Isaac Myers as a "barrel-house
Christian" in the course OF the following
pertinent remarks directed to the church:
az have no confidence In these barrel
house Christians: they go to the barrel
house when they think nobody is watching
them, take their drink, and then go back
| this man Cline, the villain, log-hauler, the
whisky-seller and f~requenter of saloons.
has been seen to watch, and when no one
was near, TO go in and take a drink. That
is the kind of a preacher he is when your
back is turned. He went down before a
magistrate in Indianapolis, and went on
4 4ha pyffnaCS stand and hal6 M his hand he
iore almighty God and swore he would tell,
the truth, and swore 10 a lie"
Although this scathing arraignment of
the clergyman is denied by the defense,
the attorneys for the plaintiff aver that
they will show it to be true. There are a
large number of witnesses on each side of
the case, one of whom testified yesterday
to the great amusement of the audience and
the annoyance OF the court. The witness
was called to reproduce a certain conversa-
ton in which the defendant is purported 10
have mingled at a 'sheep-shearing, late
ing heard Myers accuse his pastor of
playing the hypocrite, and was also posi-.
tive that he remarked: Hell is full OF
such minister's" After delivering this in
formation, the witness concluded that he
saw an opportunity TO make himself
famous as a humorist, and told the court
that he could not vouch for the compe-
tency of Myers to speak accurately of
the tenantry of hell. The audience was
STU muse IL Nv NllhN9S was ohG
to spare his observations in the future.
The attorneys for the defense propose to
enter a general denial OF the specific re-
marks imputed TO their client. They state
that they will, pc able to show that the
plaintiff was not Of the whole cloth when
he took charge of the church at West
Union, and that the defendant had ample
cause to take exceptions to the pastors
actions. Some of the manneriSmS OF the
reverend gentleman. they claim 1t VIII be
shown, were. very peculiar. II appears that
the estrangement between Rev. Mr.. Cline
ago, while Miss Fannie Myers, the pretty
sixteen-year-old daughter of the defendant,
was keeping company" with a nephew
of Mr.. Cline. The young man resided In
Boone county, and il is alleged that the
minister often officiated as a mail carrier
between the young people. On one occa-
sion the parents of the girl claim that
Cline carried their daughter a letter from
his nephew which urged her to leave her
home and elope Will him. The girl, 1t is
said, referred the missive to her father,
and the pastor was taken to task for his
share in the matter.
He explained that he was innocent, but
there was n lingering suspicion in the minds
Of the Myers family that the pastor had
been taking ar active hand in the affair.
Some time later Miss Fannie was unfor-
nate enough TO shy a hymn-boOk across
the meeting house during services, and at
the Instance of the janitor she was ar
rested on the charge of disturbing a re-
ligious meeting. In the trial which fol-
lowed the congregation was called in 10
testify, and 1t seems that Rev. Mr.. Cline
contributed evidence not TO the taste of
the fair prisoners parents. Then followed
a series of petty quarrels, that finally ended
in the suit filed by the pastor for damages.
Attorney Mccullough is acting as special
Judge in the case.