The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-02
THE WORK OF GOSSIP.
Reputable People at Kent Make
Grave Charges.
MINISTER'S EMPHATIC REPLY.
Rev. Mr.. Fulmer, Charged With kiss
ing Young Girls, Indignantly Makes
Denial-An Official Inquiry.


agitation in the Methodist Episcopal
church. OF which Rev. c. Z. Fulmer is
pastor. In fact, the affair has become
common property and is now the principal
topic Of conversat ton.
Mr.. Fulmer has been accused OF circulat-
ing scandalous stories about some OF the
wef-known young people, and yesterday
Miss Myrtle Joy and Miss Maggie Morck
made affidavits that he took. or attempted
to take, liberties with them. when seen
last evening the pastor said he never said
that Miss Joy was in delicate condltion,
or never even had a suspicion that such
was the case. AS the rumorS were board
cast now he wanted an investigation and
intended to bring the matter before the
official board of the church at its regular
meeting today. He also said that until
the reporter told him, he had no intima-
ton that he was charged with improper
conduct. Then he emphatically denied
having even admired Miss joys form or
been in the habit of kissing Miss Morck
The trouble in the church has been
smouldering for about a year, but burst
into open flame only recently. The Meth
odist Episcopal church of Kent is the larg-
est, or at least always has been, in the
town. II has also been recognized as nav
ing many active workers, and its influence
In the religious world has been of account
About two years ago Rev. G. Z. Fulmer
who had been pastor of Mason chapel at
Tacoma, previous TO that time having
come from Nebraska, took charge. He is
a fine-looking man, well built, and has q
glossy, fun beard. He is married to very
pleasant-looking woman and has two chill
dren of tender years. For the past three
years Miss Maggie Morck, really fine
looking young lady, has lived with the
Fulmers at various times. Now she lives
apart from them, and while Mr.. Fulmer
will not say why she left, she says that he,
the minister. said she was bad girl.
After Mr.. Fulmer had been in the church
about a year Virgie Smith. young lady
who took considerable interest in the
church, said that Mr.. Fulmer kissed her.
This caused a mild agitation, but when
Miss Smith made a written retraction
the matter blew over, and things were
quiet until the last outbreak, which
has eliminated in the accusations that
Mr. Fulrner has circulated scandalous re-
ports, especially about Miss Joy and a. \.
Risedorph, and the final climax in the affi-
davits.
Miss Joy is young lady OF excellent
parentage and has always enjoyed an eX-
cellent reputation. She is also quite pretty,
but when she talks about Mr.. Fulmer her
eyes snap She said to a Post-Intelligencer
reporter last evening: 1T was some time
in September last that Mr.. Fulmer, &C
companied by Chancellor Thoburn, OF the
Puget Sound university, at Tacoma, came
to see me about attending school. Mr.. Full
mer asked me to come to his study, which
was in the parsonage to see some books
and papers containing information about
the school. He had frequently asked me
to come 10 his house, but / did not accept
his invitation until that day. He asked me
to go to his study, as supposed, to get IN
formation concerning the school. However,
he drew his chair up close to mine. and be-
fore I hardly knew what he was doing he's
had my dress partly unbuttoned in front
and said. Myrtle. I admire your form
'He said other things. but I don't care TO
repeat them. I was so disguised with
him that left the house, but / made the
mistake Of not mentioning the occurrence
to my parents November q last he came
20 my house and said: Maggie is ruined
girl and you are in the same way. There
are stories all over town about you
81 asked him what the charges were and
he replied: It's the worst way 1t could
be- | learned from Mr. Risedorph that
Frlroer said Mrs Louise Shaffer told him
about the report. Miss Morck and I went
TO see Mrs Shaffer, and she said she had
not heard any report about me. Mr.. Full
mer came TO me a second time, ana In the
presence of my mother said he UNDERSTOOD
I was in n delicate condition, and he knew
the fellow / had been with. He also said
there was not a decent young man IN town
for me TO go with My mother asked him
IL he knew anything bad about Mr.. Rise
dorph. and he said he didn't. He also said
he did not believe the report about me.
Then, last Saturday night, Mr.. FuiIner'
accompanied by Mr.. Alvord and Mt. cav
anaugh, trustees of the church, came TO
the house and wanted me to tell my story.
I said I would not do so unless MT. rise
dorph was present. My mother pressed Mr:
F'tllr1er for an answer as 20 VINO nau 'oId
these things to him. He avoided the ques
ton. but finally said Mr.. Risedorph cslied
his attention to the reports.
Mrs. JOY said that 1t was true, not
withstanding Fulner's denial, that he
said there was not a decent young man
in town. and that he understood MISS
Jov was in a delicate condition i press
ed him for a reply" continued Mrs. JOY
.as to who had given these reports ABOUT
nv daughter to him He did not want 10
repIy. but I told him that would not 40
and he finally said that he believed the
,natter was called TO his attention by
Mr. Risedorph'
Mr.. Jov said that ne had not heard the
reports about his daughter until Few
DAYS ago. and then he asked her ABOUT
them She told him that the only person
who had attempted liberties with her was
the minister himself. When Mr.. JOY was
told OF the denials Of Mr.. Fulmer as 10
saving anything about Miss Joys condi-
ton and other things he shook his head.
a a. Risedorph, the young man VINO
figures in the case. is greatly incehseu
al Mr. FHIlrner and has said that he may
resort 10 the law. In conversation with
a Post-Inteliigencer reporter last evening
he said. cone evening l received a note
from Miss JOY asking about the reports
that were being circulated about her
,va,+ - see her and she told me what
Nj. Fulmer had said. | investigated the
matter and found that such reports were
not in circulation. ard when I met Full
rner / said. I understand YOU are mo
only one who knows anything about ms
matter Where did YOU get II
ale told me- that Louise Saaiter t".d
hin, Al a meeting held at Fuifners
house. when al were present, MIS- S'ai-
g. saiF that al she ever heard was some
TN, about Miss JOY going with Miss
Merck nights Fulmer said that was all
Mrs. SlafYer told him. and the me- ing
broke ~. TIE next day Fu-mer met me
on the street and said: It's on you this
time. / hear you get girl IN nX
had already received "A note from Miss
Joy and waite neither o. US mentioned
names We understood each other. l ask
% bfrn 10 name the girl. but be would no,
tell"
W-ren Miss N9rck was seen she was
evidently afraid - tax about the matter.
bat finally said Il was true that Sir. F'u.-
mer was in the naht o. kissing her; tod
her that Do admired her figure and used
10 have her 70 through breathing eXer-
cises witn her waist half on once she
sai1. when his wife was away. ne came
into her room as she VAS preparing 70
so -ut. ana. throwing himself down on
the heE. had ~ rub his head. rs ne was
suffering with q headache. lie said ae
would ENJOY having Aer ru3 ais head 'tor-