Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-01-29
BELIEVED IN WlTCHCRAFT
THE CHURCH CALLED THEM UP
FOR TRIAL.
Expelled from the Methodist Church.
Believe Trustee Cuip Had Mar
yelous Supernatural
Power.
COUPON |.

tional wtchcrnlt case which has been
creating such turmoil at Harris Metho'
dist church, south Of Salem, Ohio, for
the last two years, was solved today by
a church tribunal, and as a result three
unfortunate victims of superstition were
expelled from the church that they were
renrcd in. The church was crowded to
its utmost capacity and much interest was
manifested In the proceedings of the
court. There were present learned miu-
listers, professors, lawyers and doctors and
nearly every member OF the cuugrcEa-
ton The trial was called at 10 o'clock
with Rev. q. G. kingsbury Of this cty
as presiding judge, in place of Rey
Earl d. Aoltz, the elder of the dis
trict, WHO IL III. Rev. ). y. Kennedy
Of Columbian, appeared for the prose
cutiDu and Rev. IL. NJ. Shipmou Of
this city as counsel for the defense.
Al the opening Of the case, Rev MIR.
Shlpmun said the defendants, Norman
Beam and wife, and Howard Hughes
and wife, mad refused 10 appear on adj
vice OF their friends and doubted If the
trial would be legal without the presence
Of the accused An hour was taken up
In tho discussion OF church law aud the
J
ease, and the Judge finally made ruling
to The effect that the church law did uot
allow trial to go by default, and that II
the accused would not appear IL WIS their
loss. hut u would not affect the legality
Of the trial,
The charges ON which the defendant
We're tried were then presented by Homer
Shelton, the prosecuting witness, IN Il
sworn affidavit signed by himself. and
nj
charges We're heresy, falschood aud dis
obedience 20 the rules of the church
The charge Of hertsy was Withdrawn aud
the trial proceeded. Very few questions
were asked the prosecuting witness
except on the charge Of the violation OF
rules and refusing 10 accept the pastor
call for reconciliation.
The sensation Of the day was sprung
whom the proscuctor examined Homer
shelton ON a conversation held with Mrs.
Hughes. His answers We're brief aud To
the point and created intense excitement
among THE members Of the congregation
He said that Mrs. Hughes came 10
him aud told him that Dr. Hon had
Paid there was wizurd In the neighbour
hood and said that slr and her husband
aud the Blcam family accused VIM
CUP of being the man OF "eyil designs %
Whom he questioned her closely tue wit
moss said She admitted to hR their he
lief IN witchcraft and said that CUP was
the evil one.
At this juncturc Professor Davidson
inquired what NM. Hughes meant by
rising the term wizard, aud the witness
replied us follows; "She said d wizard
Possessed fearful eye and that If he
looked at her and used his powers she
would drop dead. That DR.. Hon, the
witch doctor, told her that II she touched
his garments or even HIS breath should
strike her che would be bewitched as
long as Culp lived
The witness further stated that. Mrs
Hughes said that Culp had used his evil
influence to destroy her relatives and
that he had caused the death Of her
mother and Cups first wife and the sick
ncss of her sister and n Mrs Fife was
due to the black art that he practiced.
Shelton also said that Blenm told him
couple OF weeks ago that Culp had
recently been pracucng his art at llllinr
animals, and that as a result valuable
horse belonging 20 him diel suddenly
and one Of his COWS was giving black
milk. Bleam also said at another time
that Culp added annually 10 his profit
$500 which he had IN some mysterious
manner taken from his and Hughes
pockets.
ME finished Shelton's testimony and the
prosecution rested. Rev Mr.. Shipmun
said the defense had no wltnesse. 10 ex.
amino and then made strong plea for
tho Judge to show his charity aud dis,
miss the charges against tho defendanta.
The judge said that his charity IN this
case must I've accompanied with justice
for Mn. Cup, an honorable mcmher of
their church. lilo then read the law NJ
the church TO the jury, who retired to
ma anteroom The jury was out one
hour before agreeing 10 a verdict of
guilty as charged in the affidavit. The
jury. however, recommended the nc.
cn,cd to the mercy of thc court After
leading In prayer Rev Kinesbury arose
and delivered the sentence of expulsion
from the Methodist Episcopal church
against the two families, He said thcy
rNfuscl to become amenahie 10 thr
church discipline and held 10 a ridiculous
! doctrine that no one. and especially those
who claimed to he Christians, could toll.
crate. While ne pi,icd them his only
oorso BY virtue OF his onicc was "a
eNpfl Them from membership 10 tho
church. Roy Mr. Shpman immcint-
l ~ flod an execution to the sentence
and notified The cOur, That ne would an
D neal the case 10 ihe district r1nfcrenc.,.
I Tins ended for the time hoirg ono al
! the most necullar eases Ia tho history of
the Methods, churcA in This state.