The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-24
}1ANDALS GET in
DASTARD|..L.. ] Y WORK
Church Desecrated and Furnishings
Reduced TO Ruins.
THE PASTOR WAS IN DANGER.
Gas was Turned on Full and Explo-
sion Observation-Disclosures
Trying to Discover
the Guilty.
THE PASTOR WAS IN DANGER

yandals got in their dastardly work
Monday night when they practically
wrecked the interior OF the Ahiiu
Methodist Church, colored, which Is 10
Gated on Third Street. just north OF
Leigh, and literally cut and slashed 20
pieces all the carpets, church-furniture'
Bibles, song-books, organ, ana otner-
church literature. Such disgraceful des-
ecration has never before been seen or
heard of in this community. Inc l,4o
monitors of HE congregation are up III
arms over the despoliation OF their church'
and steps have already been taken 10 APP
prehend and punish those guilty OF this
shameless outrage.
OPPOSED PASTOR.
The Third-Street Methodist church is
quite an attractive and substantial editice.
with a seating capacity of about 700 peo-
pie It's pastor is Rev. w. R. Gullins,
who came here recently from Smithdeal,
Va, although he had previously served
two years as pastor of the church When
he returned to the charge by order OF
the Bishop, he learned to his amazement
that he was persona non grata with
faction of the congregation. Soon a
spirit of rebellion asserted itself and as a
result ten members of the congregation
We're expelled.
While it is not openly charged that this
expulsion or the intense feeling growing
out of it had anything to do with the
case. it is believed in certain quarters
T that it did, and an investigation along this
Gline is baing diligently prosecuted.
Y The church was entered in genuine bur
@elar fashion, a window being forced open.
no time was lost by the miseTeants, but
.they went straight to their work.
IL Large knives. evidently very sharp, were
brought into play with most destructive
EFFECT. Broad swaths We're cut IN the new
carpeting covering the three aisles from
the doors opening. into the main auditor
fun of the edifce 10 the rear of the pull
pit. The incisons were in zig-zag and
circular shape Here and there would be
ten or twelve circlets q yard or more in
circumference The prisons who We're at
work on the carpets were artists They
cut and slashed them so it would be i'm
possible TO make any further use OF
them.
FURNITURE DESTROYED.
The bot,oms and backs OF all the chairs
and the cushioned furniture in the pulpit
we're ripped to pieces. Even the little
stool. on which the minister was accus-
torned to kneel to pray. was cut open and
HE ssawdust was dumped out in a pile at
| ne sprc acher's desk.
| Having mutilated everything That could
! bcfmutiIated, without making q noise that
would attract people on the outside, the
vandals went into the church library, and
Icut and tore up all the Bibles, song-b0oks
and the church and Sunday-school ltera-
lure, which were left a heap Of debris on
The floor.
The decorators then cut through the
5acks of the two organs, and cut the mus
. NalE strings so they could produce no
ausic. The large doors, covered with OIL
, Ill., were slashed in a hundred places,
. li damage was done everywhere else
-at:it was possible to wreak. injury TO
. lie church property. No effort was made
disturb the chandeliers or the wooden
:.-aiture. as the breaking up of these ar
ta.esf would have made so much noise
lat outsiders would have been attracted,
nd the vandals would have been caught
i. ne act OF their vandalism.
LIFE IN DANGER.
Eben the work of destruction had been
fE1ed artisticaly the miscreants turned
ont the fullest every gas-jat in the place
an quietly stole away, evidently hoping
tn he much-hated pastor-the Rev. Gul-
lii-would strike match as he entered
tn Office yesterday morning and meet
III lorrible fate OF being burned to death
bet.e he could be rescued. The preacher
horzger, did not light match, and the
eXEgted explosion planned did not occur
r. Gul1ins detected the odor of
gas NJ entering the church and though
| he 7.;#almost sumocatcd during the ef-
fort ne managed to raise the windows
and rriedly turned off the gas. He was
| Their fortified to learn that his church
| had N literally cut to pieces.
TIL lutrage was reported to the officers
at /. Second Police Station. and the
! Chic! Police was subsequently advised
of i. Detectives Charles Gibson and
Thor NVrenn were assigned to the case
and y=lt to work at once The minister
gave IL officers several bits of evidence
which re regarded as most important
and S understood that some arrests
, will b made within the next day or so.
The orch board has offered reward
of sICt Or the arrest and conviction OF
the guzV parties. There will be a meet
ing of he congregation at the church
to-morrv night. when steps will be
taken t. replace the damaged furniture
Last briI vandals entered this church
, and cut lp all the song books and the
church d Sunday-school literature 1t
is believl that the same people executed
both ioE 4Rev. Gullins believes if the
vandals ld$gotten hold of him he would
not hav been here now to help work
I'D a ca. against them.