The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-18
THE HIRST CASE.
S. w. Rogers of Fruit
vale Testifies.
Facts Which Go to Show That Rev.
Mr.. Rogers Is Not What He Rep
resents Himself to Be.

The investigation into the charges
brought by Rev. S. Rogers of Fruitvale
against DR.. Hirst, pastor OF the Simpson
Memorial Methodist Church in this city,
was resumed yesterday morning before
court of inquiry in the Central Nj. l..
Church on Mission street.
Mr.. Rogers was upon the witness-stand
during the entire morning and part OF
the afternoon session. He underwent
severe cFOss-eXamination. and it is said
on good authority that upon several occa-
sions he broke down completely.
Among other things he admitted be-
longing at one time to the Baptist church.
although he had never been immersed
When closely.questioned on this point he
finally replied. well, the fact is, I'M
mersed myself for a joke"
His entire direct testimony was given
with the assistance Of long document
compiled for the occasion, and containing
! his full statement. In answer to ques-
lions put to him on cross-examlnatlon he
! repeatedly referred TO his notes. which. it
appears, failed to correspond upon certain
facts.
In MANY minds Rogers wild statements
have created questions as to his RESPONSE
bility. A passage from one of his letters
to DR.. Hirst-which is now in evidence
I6duS dS lOllDhS. dm al OlQoibSQ
constable of Almighty God, and have come
1000 miles for the purpose of cleaning out
the Pacific Coast" Another passage in
the same letter reads: Il am messenger
out on the Kings business. and must find
hating place, so prepare to meet thy
God"
Rogers also claims TO be a graduate of
Queens College. Birmingham" from
which he says he has received the degrees
of LID. and ID. 1t is a fact however.
that no university exists in Birmingham
empowered 10 confer degrees and. fur
Their. that Queens College" is situated at
Oxford.
In this connection Captain Mcdowell Of
the British ship Drumblain. now in
port. claims to have official information
from the Bishop of Liverpool to the effect
that Rogers is not regarded by the minis
Try of England as a Clergyman in good
standing and, further, that any title which
he may bear is assumed without the au-
thority of the church.
Captain Mcdowell claims that the affair
in which Rogers is now shining as saint
Is only one of a number of similar in
stances In which innocent men have been
forced to face his accusations.
In this connection it may be said that
Rogers boasts Of having been instrumental
in sending an English lord to the peniten-
tiary for long term, and processes that
be was offered EOS 600 for his silence in
the affair, which was refused. In ap-
preaching DR.. Hirst recently upon the
charges he had subsequently preferred,
he is said to have brought this fact under
notice when the matter of hush-mOney
was mentioned in order to shield himself
from being accused of the crime of black
mailing.
One of the principal witnesses for the
prosecution is ). I. Wenyon, salesman
for TbierDack q KroegeT.
IN h.
pearance and possesses pair of elaborate
whiskers. which adorn either side of his
Roman cnuUtenance.
By profession he is an actor but owing
to the dizziness of the times he is forced TO
confine his oratorical abilities to the
more pr0saie one of selling coffee and
spices. In the meantime he is studying
the more advanced theories of the Thespian
art under the tutorship of a south of Mar
ket-Street trageuiaD, aEG maintains hopes
that before long his fame will eclipse that
OF Henry Irving.
lie asserts that although his testimony
has been eagerly sought for, his knowledge
of the case Is of little value to either side.
However, he has prepared a speech which
begins with: Friends, Romans, country
men, lend me your ears" which he in
tends springing upon the committee for the
sake of practice. He will be heard TO-
Gay.
morning. when it is expected that f. A.
Bidwell. the prosecuting witness, will be
given a hearing.
1t seems to be generally understood that
whatever decision may be come TO by the
ecclesiastical court of inquiry, the matter
will not end there, but will be submitted
to the arbitrament of the criminal courts.
The initial steps to further proceedings
will be the immediate arrest of the Rev. S.
Rogers and the boy Bidwell on charge of
attempting to blackmail DR.. Hirst, and
possibly charge of perjury may be added
in each case. DIR. Hirsts legal ADVISERS
counseled him TO adopt this course nearly
two months ago, but with the natural
shrinking from any publicity in a case
where the charges were so Infamous, DIR.
Hirst allowed the matter to drift until
now. For his own complete vindication
his friends have persuaded him that il is
absolutely necessary to invoke the aid Of
the criminal law.