Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-16

4
West p member Of the First Baptist
Church Of this city. walked out Of the
church late last night, branded by her
fellow members as an habitUal liar and
a slarderer." She had been tried be-
fore the advisory committee OF the
church for circulating stories about the
pastor, the Rev. Maurice PenlfeIu lAeS'
and had been found guilty.
Although many members OF the COM
mi.tee had said in the meeting mat tney
believed the young woman lntellecl
was impaired. the committee drafted
resolutions intended to cut her OF rom
the fellowship of the church, and when
will be offered for adoption, az tire next
meeting of the full congregation. Many
nersons here believe the decision was
700 harsh TO come from a religious
body. -.
Miss West talked about her pastor
and tben denied that she had made the
remarks. She does not deny this' AZ
her trial she was nervous ana stoou
alone. save for one stanch friend wo-
man. who is far above her mentally
and much better of financially. Ray 5
ambition has been to teach, and she
had worked hard and been assisted by
p woman. She joined the First bap-
list Church two years ago on letter
from the English Lutheran Church and
entered heartily into Sunday school ana
Christian Endeavor work.
The Rev. Mr.. likes preached SER
mon on Stumbling Stones on Septem-
her .26. Ii was directed against back
sliders. After that service Miss West
sought consolation from her pastor he
sat beside her in pew, and, AFTER talK-
ing with her. prayed for her. she toId
young woman later that While the
minister knelt beside her in prayer ne
ANNOYED her. This story was told 10
Mrs Stout. q deacoRess Of the church,
and Miss West repeated the accusation
10 her She told Deacon Henry Cole
man what she had heard.
Miss West was summoned TO the pas
tors house. She denied in the presence
81 the minister's wife that she had told
the story attributed to her. She was
asked TO repeat the denial to Mrs.
ctout and said to her: What l told
YOU was O black lie. ! have told lies
since 7 was . child. The former pas
tor of the Lutheran Church warned me
wears ago that would bring trouble to
myself IF I did not learn to tell the
truth" The matter became town scan
6al and the story grew as II Travelled.
Tbs advisory committee decided TO
nlace Miss West on trial as the best
mems to GET M the truth Of the mat
ter. u.4.;.,
room last night she was accompanied
nv her faithful friend. Miss West ask
ed for an opportunity TO deny certain
things that had been said ABOUT het
and the pastor. She was hearo nrsC
and was then arraigned on the 1orInai
charge OF being IAN haOltuaI mar anu
having slandered Mr.. Fixes.
Mrs. stout and others testified ABOUT
the story Of the incident in the pew ana
Of the contradictory statements that
Miss West had made. Miss West took
The stand to answer what had been SAID
OF the story Of the pew incident. she
sai5. ct said that while Mr.. Fixes
was Uravfng he placed his hand on mine.
cav that now I denied it. He told
mo to. RE told me to so to Mrs. Stout
and tell her it was black lie. and he
sid his reputation would be ruined II l
lid not -
4 Young woman who had sat beside
Miss West while the minister was pray
Ing testified that the pastor did not
place his hand on her at any time dur
Ing the PRAYER.
Miss West. in answer TO questions,
Told story about her visit to the pas
tors study. and placed the time as the
morning OF November Is or 10. She
declared that the Rev NJ. S. S. Merri-
man. assistant pastor, and Mrs. Leb-
tein. the organist. were in the church
at the time. The assistant pastor and
the organist said they, the pastor and
Miss West. had been in the church to-
qether In the morning only once. They
placed the date as November ~ rom
the fact that Mr.. Fixes was preparing
for n lecture on the evening OF that
date. They said the floor of his study
was covered with paintings Of biblical
scenes he was 20 use TO illustrate his
lecture.
They said Miss West went only as far
rs the door of the study, that she could
not have entered without walking on
the paintings. that the door Of the study
remained open. and that they heard the
voices Of her and the pastor all the time
she was there. Miss West said she
stepped over the pictures to enter the
room. and admitted that the door was
not closed at any time while she was
there She stuck to her statement
though O thorouch examination was
conducted by several persons.
II was decided that, as Miss West had
told contradictory stories about the pew
incident. and that as her voluntary
statement of what happened in the
study was believed by the assistant pas
tor and the organist to be false and i'm
possible. that she was guilty.
The Rev. Mr.. Merriman said: We
have disprOved the ISLANDERS that sur
rounded our pastor. Let us be satisfied.
We should strengthen this young wo-
man. Hers is a warped mind. She
mav. no. be responsible. Do not be too
stern. BE merciful.'
A few others followed in similar
strain. but resolutions prOnOuncing the