The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-26
WAS ASKED TO EXPLAIN
ANONYMOUS CHARGES
Unknown Persons Accused Him of
Drunkenness.
Sensation Sprung at the Broadway
Temple-Mr. Maynard Admits
That He Was Divorced From His
First Wife and Was Given to In
temperance In His Youth But
Has Lived An Upright Life Since
He Entered the Ministry.
fsnecial to The HeraldA


Denver, Colo, Dec. pa sensation
was sprung at the Broadway temple
yesterday at a meeting of the members
of the congregation when Rev. r. A.
Maynard, on probation for possible
call, was asked to explain certain SER
ious reports of personal conduct They
are to the effect that the pastor is a
common drunkard; that he was ar
rested for drunkenness in the streets
of Grand Rapids, Mich, and convicted,
and that he was convicted of another
crime just as bad, if not worse.
These charges are contained in aron1
ymous letters that have been circulat-
ed among members of the congregation.
1t is reported that leading members os
the church have jumped at the oppor-
tunity offered as a means of getting rid
of Mr.. Maynard.
Mr.. MAYNARD came to Denver for q
visit to his sister, Mrs. True, at 91s
Eighth avenue, last September. He had
been pastor of the First Unitarian
church in Salt Lake City for number
of years Previous to that he had held
successful pastorates at Reno. New;
Santa Monica, Cal, and Grand RAPIDS.
Mich When he left Grand Rapids
writer in a local paper attacked him,
stating that he was a divorced mani
and that scandal was attached to his
name.
He told the tabernacle trustees of this
when he took charge here: Il admit
that / was divorced from the first Mrs.
Maynard" Mr.. Maynard says, but it
was long before 1 entered the ministry.
Everybody who knows me and knew
my first wife will say that l was in the
right The daughter of my first wifa
lived with the present Mrs. Maynard
and myself and was married from our
house in Salt Lake. l have nothing to
hide about that divorce. 1t was simply
an unfortunate marriage
Attempt to Prosecute.
''It is a plain attempt to persecute
me. OF course, l have an idea who is
doing II, but / can't prove it, and there
you are. However, l believe my inno-
cence has been completely established.
and that l am vindicated in the eyes OF
every fair-minded person acquainted
with the circumstances. Before enter
ing the ministry 1 practiced law, and
before that / went to college. l sowed
my wild oats, and admit l was under
the influence of liquor several times in
my youth. But since l became a min1
fSter nave lrleu 10 i've dll upright lie,
and from what my friends say l nave
succeeded.
''It seems hard that unscrupulous
people should try to blacken the name
of a man who has reformed and tried,
to do right just because he erred long
ago. The only feature of the affair that
cuts me to the quick is that people pay
attention to anonymous letters. No
body but coward would write such a
thing I will preach at the tabernacia
next Sunday, but as to my future
course with the church 1 am unable to
say yet
+ Mr.. Maynard has in his possession
scores of letters from some of the best
people of the cities where he has held
pastorates, testifying TO his ability as a
preacher and his conduct as a gentle
man and Christian.
But his. prosecutors evidently gave
up hope of accomplishing his ruin in
this way, so they resorted TO anony-
nous letters. containing scurrilou1
charges of drunkenness and other
things that go with that offense. When
the charges first appeared Mr.. Maynard
wrote to a dozen or more people in the
cities where he had lived. Replies coma
pletely generating Mr.. Maynard have
been received from all of them.