The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-07
? AST0R UNDER FIRE.
DIR. Alison Opponents and
Friends State Their Case.
he WELCOMES FULL INQUIRY.
He Il Accused of Various Faults OF
Character 80 Thomson Blamed
for All the Trouble.

Hon. l. j. Lichtenberg and William H.
White. while not members u Tie chGrcn.
are aaherents o. The pastor. and they ms5e
strong pleas tn hls 3obaE. The so-aalled
petitioners occupied su tne morning ses-
s40n and part - the afternoon SESSION IL
presenting theiF ctse against Or. Alison.
Briefly, the complaints brought ouZ ~
their witnesses were ego.isu, Willtutness,
exagge ration. seihsnnesa. an ung0yernaole
temper. aaEbaf a8lenese, iustncertfg. NOT
telling aI ~ the tFath 10 certain cases,
ana ABOVE al else. hack O. spirituality.
Samuel Ramsey occupied tae res ~ the
afternoon session 81 behalf OF Or. Alison
supporters. ths snem0r.siisss. The even
5nS session Ras entirely taken up with ar
gumenis AMI testimony In The pastors IA
x0F. and Dr. Alison said 4ast nighs that he
expected 10 occupy All OK todsy's sessions
"a presenting more testimony. Ills speech
81 his oWn defense vi be MAZE a. this
evening session.
The presbytery began its work yester-
day al o'clock ia the morning. and with
4ae exception Of intermisslons for lunch
con and dinner, the entire dag until 1919
fl the evening was taken up. An inn
mense mass OF testimony and argument
s. being given and made. and the two fac
fions are drawn up on either side Of the
auditorium. 1t Is plainly evident thar
they ali have their lighting clothes on,
a n
entirely out OF the question. Rev. ". 4.
Major makes a good moderator, gives
each side fair play and plenty OF rope
and tries % keep them all in good temper
by his own smiling face and sometimes
Humorous remarks ". ~ Thomson. city
engineer. seems TO be the backbone OF the
opposition. and was the recipient 81 most
Of the shots Of his opponents. tie was
called the fighting Thomson" by Mr.
Ramsey, and n carries the title with
much grace and appropriateness The
trial will probably not be concluded until
tomorrow. During the day sessions yes
1erday there were not many present ex-
cept those directly interested or one side
or the other. but at the evening session
the church was we'll filled
The first thing that came up at the
morning session was the resolution. which
was passed Tuesday night. summOning
the signers Of the petition TO appear be-
fore the presbytery as witnesses J. A.
Gould wanted u reconsidered because
several members we're absent when il
was passed. nr- Alison raised the qucs-
ton as to whether an action taken the
day previous could he reconsdcred and
the moderator ruled against him W r.
Ballard then appealed 80 the prcsbytery
with the result that the moderator was
sustained
Alison Wants Both sides Heard.
Nearly an hour was then spent in dis
cuSsIng the question as 10 the right of Inc
presbytery "a summon the petitioners
Or. Alison wanted the question settled
in open court. and he did not want the
brethren 10 get the IMPRESSION that he de-
sired TO take snap Judgment" which had
been limited at He and his friends hal
recognized from the beginning of the
trouble the rights OF the petitioners and
II any member had auy evidence showing
that the pastor was unit for the pastor
ste he had tho most sacred rights 10 pre-
sent It. lie did not. however, recognize
the rights Of the petitioners 80 far as
some Of their methods were concerned.
They had no right 10 use their influence
te make other people his enemies because
they were his enemies. tie wanted the
presbytery 10 know everything on both
sides. and the object Of the resolution Was
90 give him the privilege 10 call some Of
the petitioners 10 testify so that tho de-
csion Of the preshvtery would he In a.
cordance with truth and Justice. we
want TO know. he said. III all % these
petitioners have really signed this petit
tlon. and why they signed H. If they sign
ed Il OF their owu VIII. or were approach
cd a dozen or twenty times and So infu-
enced 30 sign It,"
when nr Alison had finished ne was
vigorously applauded hy his supporters
who surrounded htm. This brought Some
Of the preshytery 10 their feet TO strong
~ object 10 amy such manifesto ions. and
they We're sustained hy thc moderator
No Time Limit l. Fixed.
The resolution TO summon tine petition
ere was then unanimously rejected and
the committee ON procedure reported. q
recommended thar the petitioners be
heard hrst.fhen the memoriallsls and THAI
each side have tive hours 10 present ITS
hNtery consider The matter iu secret sos
sion that only members of the prcahytery
and the church be admitted.
As regards the Time imit. the dissen-
tiers claimed 10 ho allowed tifno to rapIv
aud Dr. Alison pleaded for an tAc tlmr
necessary to make hts statement saying
that he was lighting for his life and add
ing
we love these petitioners. although We
hone Geo SHOW you that thst haVc crerd
prossiN. and we simply want tc t.l uur
story The matter of tmr Nmlt WA
hna0y disposed ot ~ laying il on She
table.
The resolution as 90 closed doors ta.n
came up and 80 WAS claimed t1st is ought
90 Dec stricken out as tho msr.uE should
IL open - en-
}. \ Gaulf I ems opposed TO trying il i'm
tho Hes Gn1rere
Moderator Major ?, would let I'm tnc
newspapers. anyhow.
Both sides seemed O.lline that the uect-
Ing should hc oes0. sat Ii was So Do
cfaod
THE petitioners thea began tf~.- case.
J. r Tnrner appearinE as tne.r advotstr
lie spvn3 .isoHt iH}f .u hrHr ln .u4k+ar
Ms opening elatr~I#Hf. .e una-t BE- saw.
tae strength of trai t.art vt ttr .H.t- h
body which wRs oppressed ta rr- Alison.
and t1l5 at fhe Decentralization ana ID.