The San Francisco call., 1896-01-17
DR.. BROWN CHOSE
THE COMMITTEE,
The Pastor Is Criticized for
Selecting His Own
Judges.
ONLY SECRET SESSIONS.
Deacon Dexter Thinks DR..
Brown Made a Slight
Mistake"
SOME SPEAK MUCH STRONGER.
DR.. Pond and Mr.. Wikoff Were on
the Trial of the Eureka Pastor
Who Sinned.
SOME SPEAK MUCH STRONGER

Some of the congregation Of the church
of which the Rev. DR.. Charles o. Brown is
still the pastor are dissatisfied with the
manner in which the committee that is to
try the charges against the pastor was ap-
pointed. Their claim is that the congre-
CATION itself should have had the choosing
OF that investigating committee, but that
Dr. Brown took the power out of the con-
gregation's hands by boldly announcing,
without warrant under the rules of the
church, that the standing com mittee would
do the Investigating.
One of the lady members of the congre-
CATION says she called DIR. Browns atten-
ton to the fact that this course was tan
tamount to his appointing his own
committee, but that he curtly retorted BY
referring her to article 5 OF the church
rules and declined to discuss the matter
further.
Now there are indications that this course
is not entirely satisfactory to good many
of the members, and it may be that there
are further rocks ahead for the Rev. Dr.
Brown.
His action in publicly calling upon a
lady reporter, who was neither casual
attendant nor member of the congregation,
the other evening at prayer meeting, and
asking her to lead in prayer, is condemned
very generally, even by the friends of the
troubled pastor. Deacon Dexter himself
has remarked that he thought it was a
"shght mistake" while some others put
the matter in stronger phrase.
Secretary Westgate of the standing COM
mittee selected by DR.. Brown to investigate
his official conduct yesterday notified the
Bay Association committee of the commit
tees readiness to act in conjunction with
it. just when this work will begin how
ever, seems extremely doubtful. Rev. Mr..
Wikoff is away on a visit, and it is prob
able that the joint committee viii await
his return before formally organizing.
According to DR.. Williams, however,
there will be no delay whatever in the in
vestigation. The joint committee will
undertake to arrange for a succession of
meetings to continue until the charges
against DR.. Brown are probed to the
bottom. The meetings will, of course, be
strictly private, but the public are to be
fully informed of such matters as the COM
mittee thinks advisable. This information
will be distributed to the daily papers by
a regularly appointed press representative,
whose official life will be governed by the
correctness with which he follows instruc-
tions.
So far as can be learned no arrange
ments have been made or even contem-
plated looking toward the admission of
evidence other than that to be offered by
DR.. Brown. Miss Overman will in all
probability be called on to give her version
of the affair, but as she is an equally inter
ested party any statement which she
might make under such circumstances
would OF necessity lack force and effect
iveness.
1t is not thought probable that Mrs.
Tunnel will add the weight of her testi-
mony TO that Of DR.. Brown and Miss Over
man unless she does it by deposition
The lady, who beat a well-ordered and
successful retreat from San Francisco
Immediately after the arrest of Mrs.
Davidson, is badly wanted by the defense.
They rely upon her to corroborate, I'M
der oath, of course, the specific charges
made by Mrs. Davidson and substautiated
in part by Mrs. Thurston. Mrs Tunnel,
however, is fighting shy of anybody who
has the appearance of a man with q sub
pena. Since she was located by THE CALL
last week, she has managed to keep away
from the public policy she Will probably
pursue until after the investigation and
the trial of DR.. Brown former class leader.
''Dr. Brown fully understands that a
man occupying his position should so live
that his life could be referred to like an
open book" said Dr. Williams of the Bay
Association committee yesterday. "Any
good or bad act is open to criticism or
praise, and in this particular instance the
public may rely on it that DR.. Brown is
man of much spirit and pride to submit
quietly TO the charges that have been
made against him. He is far more anxious
for this investigation than the public seem
to think
DR.. Williams and DIR. Brown were in col
lege at Oberlin, Ohio, and it is deemed by
the congregation but natural that they
should take a most lively and friendly in
terest in each other.
1t was stated late last night by men,
Der of the joint committee, who refused to
allow the use of his name, that a meeting
would probably be held to-day, when
definite arrangements for the investiga-
tion would probably be made. He was
not in favor of any delay, and promised to
see to it that no whitewash should be used.
WE'RE JUDGES BEFORE.