The herald., 1896-03-27
INDIGNANT FRESNO PEOPLE
INVITED A TRAVELLING EVANGELIST 70
MAKE AN APOLOGY
A Sensational Revivalist Asserted That TWos
Thirds Of Fresno's Girls Were Unchssts
Before They Were Fourteen-He 10 Me-
Preaching at Fresno Now. ss7
Associated Press Special Wire.

FRESNO, March 26.--The people of Frass
no were aroused TO a state of warm indiRs
nation this morning by the publication in
the Morning Republican of an article d.
nouncing Rev. |. L. Johnson,. travelling
evangelist, who has been holding meetinRo
in the Methodist Episcopal church for
some weeks, for having repeated from the
pulpit a statement which he claimed had
been made to him, that two-thirds of the
girls of this city were ruined before they
reached the age of IA years. The paper
also contained an interview With the
preacher in which he admitted having re.
peated the statement, but declined 10 give
the source of his information.
As soon as the people of the town had
read the article they began to gf.ther in
groups and discuss the question OF taking
some steps to bring the sensational
of his offense in having repeated such pre-
posterous statements and such an In
famous slander from his pulpit. It was
soon decided to hold q meeting of busk
ness men to consider the matter, and
also to call mass meeting in tbe
the community. meeting OF tho
directors of the church was also called.
The church had been in session but q short
time when request was made Tor their
attendance at the conferens.e of business
men, which was complied v ith. and conse-
quently no decision was Ieached by the
church officials. The bus iness man also
called before them the reporters who bad
interviewed the preachey, and after hear
ing their statements the evangelist was
sent for and appeared before the confer
ence. He at first made IA general denial OF
the correctness of the interview and ex.
pressed his determination to make it warm
for the paper which had attacked him.
When pinned down to the denials he fin
ally admitted that he had repeated the
slauder attributed to him, and upon de-
mand of the committee conducting the
investigation signed the following cateRor-
ical admission and apology: "Do you be-
lieve that the statement made by you
regarding the chastity of the girls of thls
city, which you claim was made to you 0y
q friend, was untrue, and that you made q
mistake when you repeated that state
ment?"
~ do; and will apologize to the COM
munity for having made the same.
(Signed.) II. ". JOHNSON"
1t was soon noised about the street that
the preacher was before the meeting, and
quite a crowd gathered about the building
for the purpose of getting sight of the
man who had stirred up So much feeling.
After the confession was signed he went to
the door to take his departure, but seeing
SO large a crowd awaiting his appearances
became alarmed and quickly drew back
into the committee room. This started
lynching, but. as matter OF fact. nines
tenths OF those who composed it vera
peaceably disposed and had no intention
of doing the foolish preacher any harm.
At this juncture Arthur Il. Briggs came out
of the bank building at side door and
made few remarks to the crowd, stating
that the preacher had apologized and
would probably leave town at once. While
the crowd was listening to Mr.. Briggs the
evangelist hurried out at the front door
and took his departure.
The conference then appointed a COM
upon Mr.. johnson and inform him
that his own interests would
be snbserved by leaving town Immediately;
thst in Case he did so immunity from
danger would be assured, but otherwise he
would have to take his chances. The COM
rnittee then visited the evangelist at his
residence ami expressed the sentiments OF
the citizens meeting to him. He strent-
ously objected to leaving town, but when
the pastor of the church joined the COM
rnittee in advising him to go he became
more pacific. but made no daffnite state
ment as to what his course would be.
The mass meeting in the evening was
held at the city hail, which was packed
with people, many rot being able TO gain
admission. The soirit of the meeting,
however, was entirely peaceable, the eenti-
ment being one OF great regret that such an
occurrence snCuiCl nave tahcIt pi1Ces
Pulpit sensationalisgn was roundly de-
noupced. and this sandeT was cited as an
example of the deplorabie results that fol-
low the reckless mouthin2s of itinerant
irraapcnsibes. The meeting was presided
over by Arthur r. Briggs and perfect de-
corum was maintained. Addresses were
made by prominent citizens, and the fol.
lowing resolutions were adopted:
"Wharsas, Certain slanderous and un-
warranted statements rejecting upon our
community and our public schools and
character have been given circulation
through the local press, that are admitted
to have been made by Rev. johnson, an
evangelist conducting meetings in one OF
our churches;
"Resolved, That We, the citizens OF
Fresno, in mass meeting assembled. do
most Indignantly resent the wholesale
slander that has been thus cast upon our
community. our churches and our public
schools, and do denuunce in unmsasured
terms the Rev. Johnson for giving public
iiy to such slandcrous reports as have
been admitted 10y him, and pronounce
Them absolutely false and without any
foundation whatever, and do advise that
SAID liev. Johnson Immediately depart
from our city and further suggest that he
never return.
AT a late hour tonight it was ascertained
that Rev. johnson had left The city, but
his des ination Is not known.
The Duty On Curran.s
40 I~..sk Il