Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-04-20

cided TO Join Another Church.
The trial of Thomas II. Wilson came
to an end in Scott Methodist Episcopal
Church at an early hour Thursday morn
ing in verdict of acquittal. The testi-
mony last night week was upon the
second set of specifications, verdict of
acquittal having been found the previ-
Gus night on the first set of specifica-
tions. These were the allegations be-
fore the church court last night week I:
First. That he WILSON, was found
In a closet of a room, the doors of
which were locked, and in which room
was Miss Susan R. Davis.
Second. That he was found in a
class room with Miss Davis, no other
person being present.
Third. That he was alone in q
room with Miss Davis, and in her
home. on sundry occasions. ~
Fourth. That he disturbed public
worship. by pounding on a door of the
church"
Pastor F. P. Harris presided as
before and the same jury was present.
Wilmer F. Drummond, Joseph Davis,
Albert Smith and W. G. Kean gave
testimony with reference to CONVERSE
tions between Pastor Harris and
Trustee Wilson concerning allegations
against Wilson.
Peter Oyerdeer testifies that at the
church one morning he went to small
closet to get Ratchet. The door Of
the room was locked, but Miss Davis
opened it to admit him, and when he
went to the closet, he found Wilson
inside of it. Witness was asked if
William M CO xyin Il 4
closet, but he did not know. Mr..
Drummond testified that he found
Wilson and Miss Davis in class room
one Wednesday evening. Neither Mr..
Overdeer nor Mr.. Drummond thought
anything wrong in what they saw,
until they heard reports about Mr..
Wilson.
As to the charge that Wilson dis
turbed public worship by pounding on a
door of the church, Charles Harvey tes-
titled that one Sunday evening he went
at Pastor Harris request to investigate
agreat pounding, and found that Wilson
was repairing lock on a class room
door.
In opening for the defence, the Rev.
f. Burgette Short said he would prove
that Wilson had not broken any law
OF sacred writ; that he had simply con-
formed to the customs of the church
that other members had been in a
room with Miss Davis behind closed
doors; that his duties obliged him to
confer with her, and that his character
was unquestioned, save by his enemies
Isaac II. McKaie and T. p. Wilmer
testified as to Wilson'S good character
Theodore Shipley stated that there
was a ring" in the board of trustees |;
one faction, majority, was led by
Mr.. Wilson, and the 'ring'' comprised
Gen. !. I. Parker, Mr.. Overdeer and
Mr.. Drummond. who are the trustees
that preferred the charges against Will
son. Sundry other witnesses spoke for
the defendant. giving him good
character.
Miss Susan r. Davis, whose name
had been brought into the charges,
sohbed while ON the witness stand.
She said he had been sexton of the
church for nine years. Recently Pastor
Harris had handed her a written
resignation with request that she
sign it, but she had refused. She
said that all the trustees had been in
various rooms with her at different
times, and she did not consider il
imprudent either.
Mr.. Wilson, the accused, said that
when his attention was called to the
alleged imprudence, he promised Pastor
Harris he would never be found in a
room again with Miss Davis if any
person thought it improper. He de.
manded trial. As to an allegation
that he had carried potatoes into Miss
Davis house II years ago, he said thi.
took place 16 years ago. He and his
wife often visited Miss Davis.
Mrs. Wilson said her relations with
her husband are and always have beer
most cordial. She never had any sus.
picions about her husbands conduct.
The defence desired to place Pastor
Harris on the stand, but he declinec
to leave the judges bench to act as {
witness.
Each side took 10 minutes for argu
ment before the jury. Counsel for The
defence claimed that there was nothing
imprudent in Mr.. Wilson'S conduct
and if being alone with woman in d
room would bar man from HEAVIER
the world was lost so far as the mer
were concerned.
The jury retired at 10. 30 O'Clock an6
returned at 1.30 O'Clock with a verdic
of not guilty. Pastor and Judge Harri.
retired with the jury, having, it seems
that right under the church law.
After the verdict was announced
Mr.. Wilson asked for certificates o
membership for himself and his wife
proposing to join another church. Pas
tor Harris said he would grant tn
certificates.