The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-02-21
ACHURCH SQUABBLE
Factions Fight In a Dayton
Church House.
BLOOD FLOWED FREELY.
Love Affair Said to Be the
Cause of the Row.


the Baptists, which reached a crisis
Saturday morning about o'clock,
terminating in a bloody battle, was
the outcome of a love affair.
In the first place the fued started
over Bob Hester engaging himself
to two young ladies, Miss Mary
Fables and Miss May, the latter
being the one whom he married.
Mary Fables, was dressmaker.
Hester went to Honolulu, and sent
her q handsome silk dress from
San Francisco. Miss Fables made
the dress, preparatory to her mar
riagc TO Mr.. Hester on his return.
When Hester did return, six
months later, he brought with him
another silk dress for Miss May
Mays wedding gown, and Miss
May tSok it to Miss Fables to have
it made. The latter, prompted by
curiosity, asked Miss May what
occasion it was to be for, and Miss
May told her in confidence that it
was her wedding gown, and that
she was going to marry Mr.. Hester
and the girl learned for the first
time that they were expecting to
marry the same man.
Both girls were members Of the
Baptist church, and the affair to a
church trial, the result being that
both the handsome wedding gowns
were burned in the church stove.
Subsequently Hester ingratiated
himself into Miss Mays favor again,
and she became his wife. Miss
Fables friends took it up, and
wanted Mr. and Mrs. Hester put
out Of the church, and then 1t was
that the church divided into two
factions--the Hester-Booth faction
and the Bodwell- -Samuels brothers
faction-and there has been 4 row
ever since over the possession of
the church.
About three weeks ago Levi
Ankeny, the Walla Walla banker.
locked the doors against both fac
tions, MS he had mortgage on Che
church. The Hester Booth faction
went to Walla Walla, paid the in
terest and got possession Of the
church. which they have kept since,
until Saturday morning, when the
Bodwell-Samuels faction broke into
the church, taking the sleeping
guards by surprise, and precipita-
ting kloody fight.
The floor and the walls were
spattered all over with blood.
Several we're injured besides
Bodwell, who had his head nearly
split open.
This row has been going on for
more than year. and 1t is said
that the whole town is divided on
the subject.
1t is said that Hester was en-
gagged to six young ladies at one
time, but Miss Fables is the only
one who has caused him any
trouble.
STILL ANOTHER VERSION.
The Walla Walla Statesman's
Dayton correspondent throws adj
ditional light on The circumstances
Of the trouble in the First Baptist
church at Dayton. Saturday morn
ing advices to the Statesman say:
"The war in the Baptist church
in this city, that has been raging
for several days, developed new and
sensational features this morning.
The war originally broke out over
difference ofopinion as to whether
certain money that had been raised
should be appropriated toward the
payment of the church debt, or
used to purchase q new carpet
The Hester faction favored the first
proposition, while the Samuels fac
tion favored the latter.
Some time ago the Hester faction
broke into the church at night and
have since held possession by keep
ing constant vigil night and day.
About 7 o'clock this morning, six
of the Samuels faction broke into
the church and gave battle to the
four members Of the Hester faction
who had been left on guard.
"In the disgraceful fight which
ensued, Mr. Bodwell, a prominent
citizen, was struck on the head
with club in the hands of one