Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-05-29
NE HERON letter
II Promises to Be Source Of Per.
plexity At the Church
Trial.
Committee Desires to Keep Out
All Evidence Regarding
Heron Teachings.
The Evidence Regarding Her.
ron's Private Lie Not in
Tangible Form.
pecial to Times Republican.

Special to Times Repu blican.
Grinnell. May 29.-The committee in
! charge of the Heron church trial
| which is to be held here June a, have
about completed their arrangements. 1t
/ part in the trial, or if it is, the commits
tee has not given it out. For reasons of
/ their own ali the preliminary arrange-
ments are being conducted secretly.
However, enough has leaked out to in
1 dictate that there is some difference of
| opinion as to how the trial should be
conducted. While there is wealth Of
certainty in the minds of the church
people in regard to Heron, there is
paucity of tangible evidence. The divorce
| proceedings at Algona We're in the
hands of two of the most skilful law
yers in the country and only the bares
| possible bits of evidence were permitted
4 to appear on the record. A private sec
| rotary of Professor Herron's was the
| only witness who gave testimony sup
lporting Mrs. Herron's plea of cruel and
4 inhuman treatment. and 1t is UNDER
stood that he has refused to talk eithe.
4 to the papers or to the committee in
charge of the trial.
The offer made by Professor Heron
to write a letter to the council explain
4 ing his views on marriage and divorce.
! tho making no defense of his private
4 life, is believed to be a source of annoy
ance to the church people. What they
want tc do is to evict Heron wholly on
account of his private life and are I'M
willing that by any means the impress
4 sion should go before the public that he
: lis being turned out on account of his
q social or religious opinions. The ques-
ton has arisen as to how this phase of
{ the question should be answered.
Whether to give it full attention and to
s place it on the records of the proceed
ings of the trial which will go before
the public, whether to give it only some
slight attention or whether to ignore 1t
altogether. The opinion of prominent
ICongregationalists here in Grinnell out
side of the committee who refuse to talk
is that while the letter, which Will prob
ably be an open letter, should be recog-
8 nized but that the council should not
be detected from its course by this
diversion The charge to be brought
Il
becoming Christian and gentleman
said prominent member of the
church, land for the council to be di-
verted by the expression of Prof Her
ron's views on marriage and divorce is
I as if man being tried for stealing
y should advance the extenuating circunl.
y stances that he had never committed
murder
Uhe committee empowered by the
Grinnell church to act in the matter is
lmade up of Hon. j. p. Lyman, Professor
| &c. F. Childs. Professor Charles Noble,
DIR. p. Il. Somers and Rev. Z. Nj. Wit
ltum. These are representative men and
, may be relied upon in every respect to
t give Heron the fairest possible show.
r MIR. Lyman, the chairman of the COM
3 mittee, is prominent lawyer and has
a lrepresented his county in the state leg
: stature at Dies Moines and will be re.
y turned this fall. He is man of unusua
: ability. He is known TO have always
a been opposed to Heron. DIR. Somers i:
+ an alumnus of Iowa College and a prom
linsnt physician. Mr.. Childs is bust
I ness man with a wide acquaintance
Professor Noble is the only member o.
!. the Iowa College faculty on the commit
tee He has been a minister and is a
u present professor of English literatur,
! lin Iowa College. He has never been al
II active opponent of DIR. Heron, tho h
never concurred in his views. Rev. Wit
. tum was pastor of the Ciiinnell churcl
= and prominent member of the Girinnel
h association. He has had much to d,
!, with bringing about the action of tn
s association at Baxter which resolved /,
have a council called to try Heron.
IN This committee has called the council
- which will meet here next week and Tn
. matter will then pass from their charg
to that of the council. This council !,
cx-parte. That is, 1t has been made III
without the concurrence of Professo
Heron. Professor Heron was invite,
If to take part in the formation of III
n council, but courteously declined. .savin
lie that he was perfectly willing that !
J. should be ex-parte.
II Just what course will be taken wheth
,e Ell or not there will be any new evidenc
3 Of startling nature is not known. bu
n. the Indications seem to be that the tria
= will be a quiet one and that II tn
le church people can have their way abou
y it. Heron will be quietly dropped with
rs out any more advertising than is ali
l. so.utely necessary. This will proba bi
i lot coincide with Dr. Herron's point Q
lie view who by means of his letter. eitne
ar open or otherwise, to the council o
marriage and divorce will probably see
tc divert public attention from his pr
lvate life to his public teaching. at leas
that is what several Congregationalist
>. in Grinnell profess to believe.
HoMEoPATHs In SESSION.
Y VIII Ask Legislature to Give Their
al cop,rol IF 4 ,herokee Asvi,,r,