New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-12
BAPTIST TABERNACLE TROUBLES.
THE CHURCHS SUIT AGAINST 'ohN ~
ROCKEFELLER COMES TO TRlAi-pn'
POTTER ON THE STAND

,r,. ,r,,, ~ the suit brought by the Bap'ist
Tabernacle feminist and Second-aVe' Oh "n'0"
the Rev Dr. Daniel c. Potter mas peeh pas'o''
against John ID. Rockefeller 10 erfo'ce 'he Pe
foruance Of n specific contract went 10 "iai ~
,ho supreme Court before Justice Pryor yesterday.
DR. Potter. who has had many troubles WIN inc
standard OIL millionaire. was in court as WINES
NJ rockefeller was represented by ex-Judge HOW
land The suit is TO recover 5000 interest que on
q trust fund Of SO,cn which. 1t is alleged 'ne u"
PENDANT made for the benefit OF the chnrch' anu "
comnel Mr. Rockefeller to arrange the rust so
that II vii. pay per cent yearly VI '-'''' ~ Wv
church for ten years from ls"'
Counsel for the church said that Mr. RocKeiener
had given large sums TO the church. frlor 10 1871
he had directed the church trustees TO ehoeaNo
"a huv the property at Second-aNe ana ien'"-s''
,rho church secured a hundred-year lease on 'he
nronertv and DR. Potter. George d. Murray
and Mr. Rockefeller were appointed commute
~ ercc, q building on the site. Mr.. Rockefeller
was afterward succeeded by his private secre'"'''
George D. Rogers The old building was 'o''
Gown and plans were accepted Tor a ne" one W
10 called the Laura Home. after MI Rockeie"e'
u,,fe BEFORE the building was erected. however
Mr. Rockefeller proposed that the church transfer
,ha nroner;v 10 builders the UNDERSTANDINGS
tha. he would improve II ana give Ne o""'.
the accruing rents for ten years. or mat ne "ou'
deposjt $50 90 worth OF bonds with trustee '''e
bonds 10 nay Dot cent. and the church 10 receive
renewed for further period OF ten years. Az MI
Rockefellers subsequent request the latter Plopo
,iiion was finally accepted and the church ana the
.ase were transferred The church now points out
counsel :aid. that the bonds. when were ->oi'"e"
pacific consolidated Land grants. paid interest,"
for eighteen months only. and urges thar IL mas
no; received that 10 which 1t Is entitled
Ex-JudCe Rowland moved 10 have the sun us
,,,i,ssd on the ground that Mr.. Rockefeller had
fii0ed his part OF the contract. having ueposi.su
of
rhi1rch trustees Mr. Rockefeller. counsei arSuesu
I'D no, promised TO pay interest on the ponds III
case the railroad company defauited 49,, .oo,
The motion was denied, and Dr fotter tneI tooN
,l,a stand He testified that he had oeeh passioi
~ tho n bernacle Baptist Church for twenty-iou;
wears and had known John ID Rockelene, siii.e
iSS0 Mr. Rockefeller. he continued. nad lou mn nh,
~ secure long lease OF the churcn proper W, iIu
hod promised nat he would erect the new ouiIcii ;
ND give at least $4,000 He afterward said ne d'u
nor care to erect a building for such a purpose.
Io,ter nrcmising that the former would stand pN
me latter in his work and making appointments 10
talk over church business. were read ne reaulls
accounted over hour and at It's close the case was
odioi,rned until this morning. when Dr fot'ei
will continue his testimony
Argument on the motion TO continue Il temporal!
,,iuc,ion granted to Julia Ross. the lessee OF the
huiIding No 1852 SecOnd-ave.. in (which Dr. fotter
was recently besieged, to restrain the Bapus' t,H
Mission from interfering with the properly or the
ieeson's rights was adjourned for week in the
Supreme Court by Justice Beach yesterday dt the
request Of counsel for the Mission.