The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-22
TIE WrsrTrHIE sc4yDAD.
Rev. MT. Howe Says He is Innocent and Has Engaged an Attorney-No Direct Charges Made Against Him-Demands n ThOroupl, vnvesffoofio

Has Engaged an Attorney-No Direct
 Charges Made Against Him-Demands n
 Thorough Investigation.
 The dismissal of Rev. O. Raymond
 Howe as pastor of the Westvflle Con-
 gregationa1 church, on grave charges,
 in which a young lady member of the
 church is implicated, has been the
 chief topic in Westville for several
 days. MT. Howe stamps the charges
 as "a terrible and infamous libel" and
 says that he is making Investigations to ascertain from what source the story
 started and that when he does find out
 who is responsible he will institute
 legal proceedings It was stated last
 evening by a member of the church
 that for two years there has been an
 under current of i'll feeling on the part
 of some members of the church to-
 wards MT. Howe on account of his at
 titude towards certain matters in the
 church, although everything appeared
 to be friendly. MT. Howe was to have
 ScNtIcu HIS CO1iu0CliOl Wlti liiS ClluICu on the first of May and said last night
 that he sent in his resignation in the
 latter part of December last, and that the resignation was accepted. He as signed as cause for his resigning that
 the village was malarial and he desired to locate elsewhere on account of the health of his family, which consists of
 his wife and five small children.
 A gentleman intimately acquainted with one of the prominent members of the church said last evening that Mir Howe had come into disfavor because he failed to pay promptly some of his bills, but said that he had understood that the reason for this failure to pay was due to the fact that the pastor had not received his salary regularly R.. T. Grant, chairman of the church com mittee, which has charge of the fnan- cial affairs of the church, said last night, however that MT. Howe had re- ceived his salary regularly every two weeks during the four years that he had been in charge of the parish He
 said that two weeks salary would be due to-day and that it would be paid to MT. Howe to-day.
 MT. Howe on the other hand stated thata year ago last fall the church was behind in his salary about $50 and that at other times his salary had been back in considerable amounts. He said that this, with sickness in his family, had hindered him from paying some of his bills and that people had gossiped about it without giving him a chance to explain. He also said that some of | those who gossiped about his non-pay- ment of some of his bills were those who were back on their pew rent when salary was due him. He said that un- | til a year ago last January he received | S1 ,500 a year salary, but in January, l 1897, he was told that the church could l pay only $1, 300, but he understood that | the other $200 would be made up to him at the end of the year, and he acquies- | ced in the new arrangement with that | understanding with the deacons
 MT. Howe said last night that the accusation that he had been unduly fa- | miliar with Miss Lansing and was the l cause of her present condition came as thunderbolt from clear sky to him. | He said that the first he heard of the ! matter was on Thursday morning last at about 10 o'clock when a friend call l ed on him and told the story that was | about. He said that he then took the l first car into the city and called at At | torney Henry G. Newton's office and l put his case in the attorneys hands J telling him that he was an innocent l man and demanded justice. MT. Howe
 said that after seeing MT. Newton he consulted with Rev. Dr. Smyth. Thurs l day evening while he was absent one | of the deacons of the church and a member of the society's committed | called at his house and asked for him | Mrs. Howe told the gentlemen that her husband was out, but would return in
 a few minutes, and asked them to wait | until he returned. They did not do so l however, but the deacon took from his pocket letter which read as follows:
 "Rumors having reached us unfavor-
 able to your character, your connection | with this church ceases until your in-
 nocence is proven signed by the so-
 ciety's committee and the deacons. Mir
 Howe put the letter in the hands of his
 attorney, who that same day sent a de-
 mand to the society's committee that
 they divulge the names of the persons
 responsible for such rumors or them-