Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-04-13
WILSON DECLARED NOT GUILTY.
Acquitted by the Jury on Tuesday Night IL
Scott Al. r.. Church

SCOTT nj. II. Church.
The trial of Thomas II. Wilson,
charged with indulging in sinful words
and tempers was begun in Scott NJ.
L. Church Tuesday night before jury
Of Methodist Episcopalians, with the
pastor OF the church, the Rev. +. p.
Harris, presiding as judge. The prose-
cution was represented by the Revs. J.
Grove of Asbury Church, and j. W.
Easley Of Brandywine Church, and
the defendant was represented by the
Rows. f. Burgette Short Of Ep-
worth and R. Irving Watkins OF New
Castle. After u sitting of about six
hours the Jury acquitted Mr.. Wilson Of
the charges on which evidence was
heard.
The trial took place in the Sunday
school room, the jury being as follows:
j. r. Cummings, J. G. Gordy, g. w.
Goodwin, William I. Houpt, N. G.
Janney, Thomas Moore, William L.
Nichols, /. Elmer Perry, Thomas
Ridgaway, Ii. A. Roop, John White,
Jr., W. z. White. Mr.. Ridgaway was
foreman and John White, Jr, secre-
tary of the jury, and Charles G. Guyer
was the stenographer.
Presiding Elder Robert Watt, the
Roy. John France, and Howell S. Eng
land were among those present, pos
sibly 30 persons being in attendance,
many of them being tho witnesses.
Some objection was raised by the prose-
cution to Mr.. England being present,
but he had been summoned as a wit
ness for the defence and was allowed to
remain.
In tho preliminaries, the attorneys
for the defence objected to Pastor
Harris acting as judge, on the ground
that he was q material witness and
could not be both witness and Judge.
II had been expected, in view of Mr..
Harris interest, that he would waive
his right to preside and in that case,
the presiding elder could have ap.
pointed a judge, Mr.. France having
been thought of to act in that capacity.
But Mr.. Harris decided to act as
judge, and tho defence noted an ex-
oeption. They had summoned him as
a witness, but he declined to take the
stand, saying that he could not sit as
judge and act as witness, too.
The jurors had been selected by Mr..
Harris, and the defence held 1t should
have had a list of them handed to it
before the trial in order to make chal-
lenges if it so desired. No objection
was made, however, to any of the jury
men.
When the charges we're presented be-
fore the court the defence noticed that
they differed from those as given to the
defendant, and after Judge Harris had
ruled in the amended charges, moved
that they be quashed ON the ground
that they differed from the originals.
But the Judge ruled them in, and the
defence noted an exception to his
ruling.
Mr.. Wilson was accused of having
called Joseph H. Bartlett ga dirty
little snip" 1t appeared that this
epithet was used in the course of
contest made by Mr.. Bartlett to defeat
Mr.. Wilson for election as trustee.
Mr.. Wilson had, however, apologized
to Mr.. Bartlett afterwards in the pres
ence Of the trustees. Mr.. Bartlett did
not accept his apology at tho time.
The defendant was accused of having
called Pastor Harris or Wilmer Drum-
mond, or both, liar. 1t appeared
that this took place under great provo
cation. Wilson had demanded trial
prior to the meeting of the last CONFER
ence, the gossip concerning him having
pecome very palnIui, ana MIR. Harris,
who was with Mr.. Drummond, had
told him he would have to wait until
after conference. Then the preacher
had averred that it was better for
Wilson to wait for trial than to have
done what he was charged with doing.
This excited Wilson and he thereupon
called the pastor q liar.
The defendant was further charged
with having put down the windows and
turned off the gas during church SER
vice. His defence was that the win
dows We're hard to put down. requiring
much force and that he had no intent
to disturb the service: and as to turn
ing out the gas, it appeared that he
had turned it down, aftor the service,
and had turned it up again upon re
quest of Pastor Harris.
The case was submitted without
argument, the evidence being closed
about midnight. Tho jury went to the
church auditorium to deliberate and in
the course of about an hour and three
quarters returned with verdict of
acquittal as to all the charges before
them.