The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-09

an influence you are exerting in our
village professed Christian, the wife OF
deacon and rooming with such person
as Mrs. Follows, who is talked about as
she is, then you are saying things about
Elder Waldron you ought to be ashamed
of and he thinks you are one of his best
friends.
''I heard him say this week you was
such q nice woman and SO good TO them
and that sick girl. At the same time |
new you was trying to injure him with
your dirty tongue and
ITHINK IT A SHAME,
so good q man as he Is. I hope someone
VIII tell him and he will make it hot for
you and if hear much more l will write
him or go and tell him you try to keep
your husband from meeting, I am told
and Sunday school. how can you expect
to reach the kingdom when Jesus comes,
no wonder we did not have revival last
winter, with such spirit as you have
may the d ar Lord help us to do better,
am ashamed II you and SO are Others let
US try and nelp Elder Waldron. instead
Of finding fault.
"a SISTER IN CHRIST"
These two epistles were evidently
written by the same hand. That was the
conclusion that the interested parties
arrived at, and the same theory is still
adhered to by the Gispotants in the cause
now on trial, though they are at logger
heads over the question of authorship. B
Deacon Crockett noted similarity be-
tween the signature John D. Waldron,"
on the note he held and some of the
characters in the letters under discussion.
The outcome of the deaoon's Investigation
was that he preferred charges against the
pastor, aud an coolies iastical council was
called to consider the matter. No definite
action was taken by that council, but an
other and more largely attended session
was held last February, and it was then
that Mrs. Mary j. Frost's.
ALLEGED CONFESSION FIGURED,
it being offered by the pastor in self
defence. The statement was dated at
Livermore, February IL, and read as
follows:
II hereby affirm and acknowledge that
1 did write an anonymous letter to Miss
Alice Marston. mailed at West Buxton,
Me-, April II, 1885, also an anonymous
letter to Rev. J. D. Waldron and one to
Mrs. Willis Crockett, mailed at West
Buxton post Office on or about July 80,
1894.
"MRS. MARYJ. FROST.
"Witness, F. A. Smith,
The Introduction of this document in
the council cut shot the deliberations and
secured for the suspected pastor a COM
plete exoneration.
The plaintiff claims that Rev. Mr..
Waldron was the author of the scandalous
letters and that through the conniving Of
the defendants she was induced to sign
the alleged confession.
The defense is that her signature to the
document was not fraudulently obtained
amp that the defendants firmly believe her
to- be the author of the letters III question.
The first witness called was Rev. J. G.
Cate of Portland who testified that he
was in West Buxton at a council of the
Free Baptist society and that they were
assembled as a council of the church for
the purpose of trying charges against
Rev. J. d. Waldron. 1t was shown by
him that the statement in question was
presented at this session. Rev. J. d..
Waldron claimed that it was not allow
able for the outcome of this council to
be put in evidence, and this matter was
cut off at the most interesting point
Mr.. Fullam of Portland, and other
tnesses were called who testified to the
same effect as Mr.. Cate After short
| recess Mr.. Willis Crockett was called
Mr.. Crockett is the man who prosecuted
the case before this council against Mr..
Waldron, and was the first one who
accused the elder of writing the anony-
nous letters. Mr. Savage gave this wit
ness very thorough examination and
| he was still on the stand at the adjourn
| ment.
W. K. Neal, handwriting expert was
called, and said that he had compared tn
writing of the anonymous letters, with
that Of Mr.. Waldron's and pronounced
them to be written by the same hand. AT
| six O'Clock the court adjourned.
The grand jury will undoubt-
edly return an indictment OF
murder in the first degree aginst
Alfred Hurd for the brutal killing
of his father.