The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-14
M.NATT GOES FREE.
Sectarian Rivalry at River
Park Revival.
THE PASTOR NOT PROSECUTING
Hearing 81 TIE Accused Distarbsr
Brings . Crowd 70 ce.rf-Arsu.
nsnss About Ksiisien.

The preliminary examination Of Nathan
McNatt charged with disturbing the re-
yival services Of the Shaw Memorial Meth
cdist Episcopal church at River Park.
was held yesterday before Justice OF the
Peace w. p. McElwain, who DISCHARGED
htn. but at the same time told him that
he was convinced the church service had
been disturbed. but that evidence was Dot
strong enough TO warrant q jury trial In
the superior court. The court room was
crowded with people from River Park
all OF whom took q good-nafured interest
in the case. II was noticeable that the
luminosity usual in such cases between
the two sides was lacking. Even after
the proceedings Tad closed, the argument
was kept up In a friendly manner.
Rev. Sprague Davis told OF being dis
turbed In the delivery OF his sermon by
Inunbling sounds. as IL people were talk
ing. When he nodulated his voice the
sounds became very audible, and az he
saw McNatt's lips moving he concluded
he was creating the disturbance. When
asked o sfheporh ETAOTS ETA EFT g
asked IL he proselyted IN any way In re-
gard to persons belief he said that he
did not believe IN anything OF the kind,
as he had good friends among the Cath
olics and believed in religious freedom.
He invited people irrespective of their
creed TO take part In the meetings
Mrs. SpFague Davis. the minister's wife.
testified that McNatt had disturbed her
by talking while she was listening TO the
sermon. but that when she turned around
he iapsed into silence.
Deacon Martin White said that during
the service he went down 20 the boys and
asked them TO come forward and get
salvation, because he wanted 10 see them
among the saved, and that he noticed
McNatt was whispering.
McNatt testified that be never did any
taking in the church except with men,
beers of the congregation about religious
belief. He had been invited by Brother
Julian Moore and Mr.. Davis and his wife
to come forward to the ''moslrners'
bench" or. as he called It. the altar. but
he declined because he was q member of
the Catholic church.
He said that once he got anto an argsl-
ment with Mrs. Davis about religion,
wherein he stated that he was Catholic
ana she said she was sorry for such a
fool. He thought she meant him, but
that didn't prevent him from going to
the church. because be did not think she
meant 1t as an insult.
During the examination McNaft vas
asked If, during any OF Davis sermons.
he had created laughter by aIiudIng In
his vernacular to anything that would
indicate that ne Davis had been lone Of
the boys"
McNatt replied that Davis stated fn
one sermon that he had trained once for
three weeks to he pugiIist.
Ed Lindsey. Robert Buchan, Fred Sny-
der, Tom Fitzgerald, and John konouff
testified that they were with McNatt at
the church, and did not know of his do
Ing anything TO disturb the meeting.
After the case was Dismissed Justice
McElwain called attention to the fact
that the law says that any person who
shall disturb a religious meeting may be
imprisoned in the county jail not exceed
Ing one month and be fined In any sum
not exceeding 500. He raises the qleS-
ton whether. since the statute provides
that the person may be fined $500 or less
and that g. justice can only fine to the
extent of 500. the Justice has ANY j1Eis-
dEction to fine in such cases.