Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-06
PREACHER DREW A GUN
Factions in the Colored Baptist
Church Precipitate
Fight.
Business Meeting Develops Into
a Rough House" ..Guns.
Pokers and Fists.
Minister'S Courtships Lead to
Jealousy Among His
Pensioners.

Jealousy Among His
Pensioners.
like some of our grandmothers SUI
perstitions, the universal belief ina.
,pzors are the sole weapons of otfense
and defense among the colored people
has been dispelled. This Illusion was
shattered Wednesday night, along with
q faw heads. at the little church OF the
colored Baptists, on Bromley street.
where a general row was precipitated
By the opponents of the pastor, ana IN
the mix-up that followed a gun was
pulled by the preacher and stove
poker and fists were used. If there
were any turnings of the other cheek, IT
was to prevent the sore spots from get
ting smitten the second time.
The colored Baptist church has been
presided over during the past year py
Rev. w. T. Nickerson. young man OF
more than ordinary ability, and num-
bers among its large membership some
CT the most prominent members of the
city's colored population. Rev. Nick
erson is young and single and good
looking, and these We're the source OF
the trouble that eliminated Wednesday
night. 1t is alleged by the opposing
faction in the church and by those
members who have taken no sides IN
the controversy that jealousies among
the feminine portion of the member
ship and some indiscreet remarks made
by the pastor both in and out OF the
pulpit have caused a desire on the part
Of some to have the pastoral relations
of the church and Rev. Nickerson sew
cred.
Wednesday night a business meeting
was called and all except the members
were excluded from the church. 1t was
apparent to some of those present that
something was going to happen. Mr..
and Mrs. George Warn have been lead
ing the opposition to Rev. Nickerson.
end claim they have good reason for
their position. as they allege the paste.
some time ago made insulting remarks
years old. Wednesday night Mrs. Warn
got up in meeting and demanded that
the matter of the minister's statements
be investigated by the deacons. They
charge that at this point Rev. Nicker-
son applied the gag rule and refused to
entertain the request In this he was
backed by the deacons. Mr.. Warn then
took the floor and appealed to the
church. He proposed to officially de-
capitate the pastor then and there by
putting motion declaring the pulpit
vacant. This was defeated by n large
vote. altho the proposition received nine
votes.
What followed was largely confu-
sion. Mr.. Warn started towards the
pulpit, Pastor Nickerson flashed a re-
volver, Deacons Charles Gilmore and
Thomas Cobb lined up in front of the
pastor to protect his person from the
on rush of the followers Of Warn.
There was general mix-up. 1t is al
legged that one of Warns supporters
among the women picked up big chair
and held il over his head to protect him
from possible bullet from the preach
ers gun. II Is also alleged that the pas
tor hit Miss Warn in the eye. Miss Jack
son. one of the pastors friends, re-
ceived wound on the head from a
stove poker, and other blows were
struck. Some of those in the rear of
the house thought II time to leave The
screams Of the women were heard by
the neighbors, who We're at once led to
the conclusion that an old fashioned
m NJ In,
ly the two dsacons. Messrs. Gilmore
and Cobb. succeeded in separating the
combatants and their counsels to re-
feain from further belligerency pre-
vailed. There We're no further deliber-
atoms as church organization, how
ever.
Supporters of the Warn faction al
lege that Rev Nickerson has sought to
rule or ruin since he came here year
ago. and that he caused a split in the
church he presided over before coming
here. They charge that he has applied
uncomplimentary names to some of his
women parishfoners from the pulpit,
and that he has courted several of the
young ladies at one and the same time.
Rev. Nickerson called at the T.-R. Of
flee this morning and said he game to
warn the editors against publishing an
article from the Warn faction attack
ing him, which had been threatened. He
says he has labored faithfully since
coming to Marshalltown for the up
building of his church, but that his
people will not pull together. He says
this is the smallest church he ever pre-
sided over, and Is not compelled to stay
here. as he has received offers from
churches in large cities.
1t Is thought that the end of the trout
BILE has not yet arrived, and today there
Is talk of legal action and arrests. The
circumstances have already been laid