The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-28
Was a Disagreement as to Tenure of
Office of Trinity College.
REV. Mr.. GATTIS AGGRIEVED
At Language Used 10y Dr, Kilgo in the
Clark -KiIgo Case Before the Col
lcgo Trustees. and Sues for
500 900 for Defamation of
Character - The Case
Comes Up To-Day,


DURHAM. N. C., April 27-specid.-
People here and an over the State wheth-
er i'm or out of the Methodist Church, arc
much exercised and gieved over con-
trovorsy between some OF the most promi-
nent Mcthodists in the state. which has
at last found its way 70 tho secular
courts.
The trouble started back in 1897 when
at the Trinity College commencement at
a meeting OF the trustees the suggestion
was made by DR. Kngo, president of the
college. that the faculty be appointed for
four years. Judge Walter Clark one
Of the trustees opposed this suggestion,
and defeated 10. Iatcr on In the year,
when the free silver campaign was at its
zenith. President kilgO made several
speeches, addresses. or whatever they
may Doe called. which ELECTED considera-
bic comment. Discussing Dr. Kilgo' $
speeches with a brother trustee OF Trim
iiv College, Judge Clark Is reputod TO
have remarked.
IS ou see 1 was right I'm defeating the
move to put Or. kllgo at tho head Of
Trinity College for four years.
itt- itAAAik %tllo 10 Ait ears OF III
kngo. who demanded of Judge Clark an
explanation. Judge Clark replied that it
was a private conversation between two
trustees of the college, and that tie
Doctor had no right 10 make ii public
There We're criminatiOns and recrimina-
tons the secular press. notably the WI
m.ngton Messenger and Webster's
Weekly. took hand. and the church was
stirred from "turrct TO foundation stone.
CULMINATED.
The elimination came Ia the trial Of
the now famous Clark-KiigO case before
The Board Of Trustees of Trinity College,
who justified Or. Kngo, on account, it is
claimed 10y Judge Clarke's friends. of the
fact that he Ohe Judgo) was not permitted
10 introduce competent and pertinent evi-
denco
Al this trial President Ililgo made
speech I'm his own defence using language
which Is the direct cause of the suit of
Rev IT, j. Gattis VS.. Dr. John G. Kilgo,
j. n. Duke. w. r. Odell and W. II.
Branson. This was the original status Of
the suit, but since the papers We're filed
81 the January term of Granville County
Court, Mr. Branson has met q horrible
death by the bursting Of a steam pipe. as
fully reported In the papers at the time,
and the action is abated as Too him.
MR.. GATTIS 4 WITNESS.
Rev. ~. j. Gattls was q witness for
Judge Clark in the trial before the col
lego Board of Trustees, and it is in direct
conscQuesce OF personal arraignment
made of him before the board aud the
publication of some I'm pamphlet form and
newspapers, and the large distribution
OF some through this and other States.
which is the ground work of Rev. Gatus'
claim for SiOtOO
An extract from the Doctors speech is
as follows:
A SEVERE CAsTIGATION
You recall gentlemen. that in the de-
fenoants first correspondence with Judge
Clark, the Judge demanded that Presi-
dent ktgo give him the informant. The
defendant did So al once But gentle
men. 30 you viii take the whole situation
aud connect IL with the testimony Of Mr..
Gattis. YOU viii likely find the original
slandoror. Here are the facts. Mr.. Cat
tis said that he was put ON the stand
against his Will, that he did not wish
Co come here, that he was pressed to
come. that he had rather give SOD and
be left out of H. That IA q high price
Cor him. That means that an ordinary
man would he given a very large amount
Tor a Ike commodity. Behind q pi0us
smile. religious walk, and solemn
twitcn Of the coat tail, many men carry
spirit unworthy of them" q
"Had the defendant done anything to
warrant this mealLess? Didn't AIr. Gattis
himself say that defendant had befrend-
sd him in South Carolina and used his
influence to- get him employed by the con
ference? Didn't he say himself that de-
.endant had recommended book for him
that President kilgO was his friend2
NHHrI q. H.r. b.
him 10 warrant any such vicious con-
iucff Between the man hiding himself
by the highway and making a victim of
an innocent traveller. and the man who
% The dark assass.nates the character
which man has tried 10 build for him
se.l send men to the woods with q re-
volvcr and let me murder every passer-by
rather than maMsn my fellow man."
Other matter Of Ike fix was used by
Dr. kilgo in reference TO Mr.. Gattis. who
has been in the ministry for years with
good rcoute
DEMURRER ENTERED.
Since the Cling OF the suit. the defend
ants Gatus VS. j. g. Ki'go ct ais. have
entered "a demurrer iu which they claim
that the plainun cannot maintain his ac-
tion against AN OF the defendants. that
there has been misjoinder of parties
and causes
This demurrer VIII be argued before
judge Henry L. Bryan 90 Oxford to-
morrow Eminent counsel have been re-
tsincd bv both plaintiff and defendants.
Boone & Bryant Guthrie d Guthrie.
Durham. p A. Gatt- Hulshoro. Ex-
Judge 4. ~ Graham ana a. a. Hicks
or oxford. appear FOR Mr Gattis Win
ston 4 Fuller Durham. Colonel p S
Povster of oxford and others represent
Dr KlFo.
II is generally conceded that mo- mat
ter how judge pryan may rule on the
demurrer. that On appeal viii De taken
to the supreme Court N this IS done
the case canro, come mp before that tri-
brnal before the October term. Mean
while. the fostering cancer ON the body
poiifc OF church and State viii spread
nsely 20 tho great detriment OF each and
an concerned The prominence OF the
,at4les both IN church state social ana
financial snsirs bur adds 20 the interest
manifested IN the outcome which IN any
event must be hprtfin 70 the church II
~, also 20 Trinity College.
AS will be noted the array OF emil