The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-29

Societies and Won Ills Way Into
the Confidence of the Episcopal
Churchmen of This City-His In
suranee Venture.
p. T. Rarnum said something once
Rhcut the pubiic's pleasure at being
humbugged. Samuel G. Ginner, late of
ST. Paul, now of New Jersey, might
have said the same thing. Mr. Ginner
: is the ''primate of the Church of AMIR
lea and several other heavyweight
titles too numerous TO mention, except
that of supreme president of the Or
der of the Minnehaha. The latter is
given space because ii is in connection
with this title that Mr.. Ginner might
if he had remained in st. Paul been call
ed upon 10 clear himself of the charges
of appropriating anywhere from
$1,000 TO $1,000 of the funds of that or
der. 1t is claimed that he was the
whole thing of that order just as he
was the whole synod of the Church of
America, which. in its palmy days,
consisted of eight people, an organ and
Brussels carpet. His titles take up
seven lines in the city directory, and
he has done everything from running
= for congress in q New Jersey blizzard
TO writing a prayer book. But the pao-
pie Of st. Paul did not appreciate such
genius and it would, perhaps, have
been much better for the cardinal as
he sometimes termed himself, if he
had read julius Caesar, and profted
by the hints it contained for over
ambitious people.
Mir. Ginner, however, didn't do any
such thing; on the contrary, he never
let an opportunity slip of adding lau-
rels to his wreath and titles TO his
name The local Episcopal clergy,
upon whom Mr.. Ginner imposed, prior
TO his communication from the
church, pronounce his ecclesiastical til
ties self-constituted and most of his
degrees doubtful Mr.. Ginner's letter
heads bore the inscription M. D." and
Ii d. and al other times he wrote
'Ph. D." "A. B." ID. D." and "A.
NJ" after his name.
HAD ESTATES IN ENGLAND.
He talked freely of large estates in
England and of his large holdings of
Eastern securities. He was received
into good graces Of the Rev John
Wright, d. D, of this city He sub
scribed largely to several of the big
Episcopal churches. He took an active
part in all the church work of the
city At meeting of the Episcopal
city mission he subscribed $780, He
maintained his dignity on all occasions,
and, when he blossomed out into a.
1uH-nedged primate, cardinal and bish-
op, his personal appearance was
none other than that of rotund, we'll
led gentleman of apparent culture.
He told of the many high degrees
which had been conferred on him bv
the courts OF Europe for his distin-
gulshed medical career. The emperor
OF Italy had, upon an occasion of his
visit to Italy, conferred upon him
golden cross as special token of his
nigh regard for his attainments in the
y fflI IT.
nous nomination for congress in New
Jersey IN 1894, and OF his brilliant cam
palsn and of his defeat by a close
vote He was socially a most Ioaua-
clous and affable gentleman He talk
co OF his orange groves in Florida, of
MS summer home on the seashore. He
came with credentials from some of
the great societies of science and art
of London
1t was these and many other graces
and atta1nments which gave him pres
tge in the Episcopal church. It was
not long. however. until some of the
1diosyncracies of his character became
known to those with whom he associat-
ed most freely. His unpaid church
SUBSCRIPTIONS, his creditors and other
things seemed out of joint with the
stories Of wealth and aff1uence poured
out on the ears OF ST. Paul churchnen
-Ep1scopalians. His true character re-
Vealed IN that gentleman a combina-
ton OF traits that was renarka BILE but
for which Bishop Gilbert and Rev. John
wright soon ceased TO have charity.
As Bishop Gilbert expressed it TO
The G e the other day:
He seemed to have an abnormal de-
sire for titles"
Mr. Ginner introduced himself as
particular friend Of DR.. Wright. and
referred 20 him on all occa sions as MY
dear friend, DR.. Wright" He gave it
out that DR.. Wright had been con-
ferred with degree by the London
Society of Science and Art which was
very unusual, and there was only one
other in the United States, and that
was his own. DR.. Wright demonstrated
with Ginner and it was not long until
the rector Of st. PauPs received a shock
himself. He received a letter from the
society above referred to stating that
he had been elected a fellow of the So
ciety. DR.. Wright wrote to London to
ascertain the meaning of the commu-
nication and was advised that his cleo
ton had been made on the recon-
mendation of Ginner, who, strange to
say, was subsequently found to be in
good standing with the society. SO
much for his early association with
the rector of ST. Paul's.
CAME FROM NEW JERSEY.
OF Mr.. Ginner's antecedents little or
nothing is known in st. Paul. He came
here about four years ago from New
Jersey. About his first venture in ST
Paul was the organization of the In
ternational Gold and Silver Bullion
corporation, with a large capital stock.
BIT little is known of this concern ex-
- that it issued stock on some West
: err properties. OF their location or
value The G e is unable to furnish
any information.
Mr.. Ginner then turned his attention
to the Order of the Minnehaha which
was at the time a fourishing Masonic
beneficiary organization with large
membership. In some way he secured
the majority of the stock and got HIM
self elected supreme president This
was some time about the first of the
year. After he had been in that posi-
ton about six months the title of su-
preme president became but a hollow
ring for him and he decided to try
some other toga. He assumed the
cloth and organized the Church of
America which is the Church of Cod
His offices in the Chamber of Commerce
building were turned into a sanctuary.
Sacred strains of ritual music at all
times of the day caused some of the
prinate's neighbors on the adjoining
floors to pause and wonder at the in
trusion of occasional music during the
every day affairs of secular life.
More popularity Ginner was the pri-
mate of the church. although at times
he aiternated between cardinal and