The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-01
HERON WILL Be TRIED
HIS REMOVAL FROM IOWA WILL
NOT STOP HERESY PRO-
CEEDINGS
HAS OFFERED TO EXPLAIN
indications Are That He VIII Be
Dropped From Congregational
Church as Quietly
as Possible.

GRlNNELL, To-, May 31.-Arrange-
mcnts for the trial Of Prof Heron on a
cnarge of heresy June 4, have been prac-
tlcaliy completed. All the preliminary
plans are being conducted secretly.
However, enough has leaked out to indi-
tie that there is some difference of
opinion as to how the trial should be
conducted. While there is wealth of
general information in the minds of
cnurch people in regard to Heron, there
is pauclty of tangible evidence The dI-
Nolce proceedings at Algona We're in the
hands of two OF the most skillful LAWYERS
IN the country and only the merest pos
Sible bits Of evidence were permitted tn
appear on the record. A private secre-
tary of Prof. Heron was the only wit
ness VINO gave testimony supporting Mrs.
Hcrron's plea of cruelty and inhuman
treatment, and it is understood he has
refused TO talk, either to the papers or
70 the committee in charge of the trial.
The offer made by Prof. Heron to
write letter to the council explaining
his views on marriage and divorce though
making no defense Of his private life. is
believed to be a source of ANNOYANCE to
the church people. What they want to
do is evict Heron wholly on account of
his private life and they are unwilling
that the impression should go before the
public that he is being turned out on
account of mis- social or religious opin-
IONS. The question has arisen as to how
this phase of the question should be an
EWered-whether to give it full attention
and to place it on the records Of the pro.
peedings of the trial, which will go before
The public, whether to give it only some
slight attention or whether to ignore it
altogether. The opinion of prominent
Congregationalists in Grinnell outside of
the committee, is that while the letter
which will probably be an open one,
should be recognized, the council should
no. be DETECTED from it's course by this
diversion. 1.-THE charge to be brought
against Heron is that of conduct unbe-
coming a Christian and a gentleman"
said a prominent member of the church
land for the council to be diverted by
the expression of Prof Herron's Views
on marriage and divorce is as If a man
being tried for stealing should advance
the extenuating circumstance that ne
had never committed murder"
The committee empowered by the Grin
nell church to act in the matter is made
up of ]. p. Lyman, Prof. c. F. ChiIds,
Prof. Charles Noble, DR.. P e Somers
eLd Rev. E. NJ Vittum. These are rep.
TesentatiVe men and may be relied upon
in every respect to give DR.. Heron the
fairest possible snow.
This committee has called the council
which will meet here next week and the
matter will then pass from it's charge to
that of the council. This council is ex-,
parte. That Is, it has been made up
without the concurrence of Prof Her
ron. He was invited to take part in It's
formation, but courteously declined, say
Ing he was perfectly willing that it
should be ex-parte
Tho indications seem to be that the
trial will be a quiet one, and that if the
church people can nave their way about
it Heron win be quietly dropped without
any more advertising than is absolutely
necessary This will probably not coin
eide with DR.. Herrons point of view,
" no by means of his letter, either open
or otherwise, will probably seek to divert
public attention from his private life to
his public teachings; at least, that is what
several Congregatioralists If Grinnen
profess to balieVe