The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-05
B Street Baptist Congregation
Has Lively Time.
Pastor Goes Down Under Rain
of Blows.
IINE ARE ARRESTED.
Police Also Raid a Few More
Joints.
The Usual Small Supply of Wet
Goods Secured.

A church row usually consists of a
rag chewing match and no bloodshed.
Such was not the case, however,
when war broke out last night in the
'B Street negro Baptist church, in the
ragged edge of North Topeka. Before
the officer who was present had quelled
the disturbance, Rev. H. w. White, the
would-be leader of the unruly flock, was
dragged into the ante room in a dazed
condition, and nine members of the
congregation were under arrest.
The trouble among the church MEM
bers which eliminated in free-for-all
last night has been brewing for a long
time. The church is divided, part of
the congregation staying with the min
ister and the rest going on the theory
that he should be removed. Rev. Mr..
White evidently decided that the way
to keep peace in the family and hold
his job was to "can" about 40 mem
bers of the flock, and cast them out
into the cold world He began all right,
but the diSinherited ones refused to be
fired. Instead, they rose up en- maSSe
and smcte the pastor hip and thigh, not
to mention sundry and divers swats on
the frontal bone. Rev. Mr.. White got
his" at the hands of the enraged sis
tiers.
All knew what the meeting was call
ed for, and came prepared for trouble.
The preacher had a heavy stove poker
under his chair for emergencies. He
! opened the ball by declaring one Sallie
Barton, a belligerent sister, excom-
municated. The sister rose to inquire
and the pastor, according to the re-
ports, picked up a chair and told her
to be seated. But she did not want a
seat. She flew at him. AS he swung
the chair for blow Rebekah Buford,
another dissenting sister, got up and
tackled his jiblets, the pastor. She
landed a stiff left on the point of the
jaw, and his reverence went down in a
pile. Before the gong was sounded
both women had drawn cowhide whips
and handed the pastor a few. While
| this was going on, John Ewing, a for
mer North Side jointist, "riz up and
| took out stack of blues. A witness
I to the affair says that he drew large
| six-shooter from his breast pocket, and
| said something about shooting the Bar
| ton woman. No shots were fired how
ever, and Lucien Brodis, a cOlored po-
! liceman who was present, busted him
self in arresting belligerents. Before the
wagon and squad of reserves arrived
he had accumulated niness, all anti
White factionists. They were booked
at the police station as Albert James,
| A. B. Stoner, Mrs. r. Buford, Ed Davis,
Mollie Blackwell, Matilda Jones, Pink
| Blackwell, Olive Buford and Sadie Bar
| ker.
| The row which led to the trouble last
night, dates from long ago, when GER
tain members of the flock accused Rev
White of several things, among them
immortality, disorderly conduct, theft
| carrying a six-shooter, etc. Abe Hen
| derson, a member Of the police force
openly charged White with appropriate
| ing 500 which had been donated to the
church for repairs by Rev. Charles M
Sheldon, and apparently proved his as
sertion- Then Rev. White called g
meeting of his own followers, without
giving the opposing faction chance t.
contest. and cast Henderson out of the
| fold. Henderson demanded hearing
It was refused, so he called an ex partt
council. The preacher declared that hi
would fire from the church any one whC
attended the council. About forty O
| them took the Henderson side of tht
controversy and attended. It was al