The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-07-08
POSED AS MARTYRS.
Seventh Day Adventists Go To Jail
Rather Than Pay Fines.

Chattanooga, Tenn, July 3.-(Special.)-
The trial of number of Seventh Day Ad-
ventists, residents OF GraysvIlle. Rhea coun-
ty, tennessee, has been in progress in the
circuit court, Judge James CT. Parks presid-
ing. for the past three days. A number of
defendants were charged with following
their usual vocations on the Sabbath day
and the majority of them were found guilty.
Attorney General j. A. Fletcher left no
stone unturned to convict the accused and
as the charges were proved and no defense
whatever made, he had little trouble in
securing conviction. The offenses charged
were trivial in the character and were COM
mitted in the county, five miles from the
town of Dayton but as the public roads
Were, in the majority of cases. near
the defendants residences, the clause "in
public place." or within a certain place"
or within certain distance of d public
road was inserted. The offense was prov
ed TO be 'hurttul to the morals of the COM
munity.'
The defendants without exception are
honest, Industrious, respectable citizens,
having the confidence OF the better element
IN the community. The prosecutor in the
first instance was a laborer without any
social standing and without means. The ac.
cLsed were II. G.. Leach, accused of cutting
underbrush his farm; w l.. Burchard,
charged with cutting wood; n. b. England.
same ofense; Lewis Abbott, a merchant,
charged with selling goods on Sunday; AL
len Cathey, a mere boy who works in the
mines all the week and is the support of
widowed mother ana aunt, charged with
cutting stove wood for his mothers use:
Dwight Plumb, charged with similar Of
fense; w. T. Kerr. charged with building a
fence, and blowing; Monroe Morgan, shing-
ling house
Elder Gillett, deacon of the Adventist
church. held in high esteem by the entire
community, had several charges against
him, but the witnesses could not be found
ana the case was continued. Several other
cases We're also held over to the next court
Judge Parks in passing sentence said: II
Will take the occasion, however. to express
my sincere personal regret that a necessity
exists for infiiCting punishment on these
people, for il must be patent even to the
most casual observer. that they are good
citizens, who are Thoroughly conscientious
IN the course they have taken. They are
not Sabbath breakers i'm the ordinary sense
OF that term. The original intention of the
law was certainly not 20 punish such peo-
pie. 1t was directed at that class of REQ
pie who, out of sheer wickcdness and want
of decent respect for things sacred violate
that day which by concurrent belief of the
Christian world in general had come to he
recognized as the Sabbath" The Judge then
pointed out the law as 1t stood and referred
to the action of the supreme court of the
state in refusing redress and to the fact
that at the recent session the legislature
refused to take action in the matter In
conclusion the judge said mo man can re-
greet the necessity in these cases more than
myself. | am sure that this sentiment is
SHARED by a large element of the people but
there can he no division on the question as
to whether the law should be upheld \
court failing 20 DO this but invites contemnt
for all law
The court then imposed small fines tho
heaviest being $3.50. The defendants said
that If they paid the fines they would he
nut ting the law of man before rhe law Of
God. so they would SETTER for c0nscience'.
sake. They emphaticaily refused to raw
the fines and were removed to the iaij
excitement ''