The San Francisco call., 1903-09-12
MEETS BEHIND
CLOSED DOORS
Committee Begins Trial
of Charges Against
DR.. Hammond.
Rolla Y. Watt Of San Fran
cisco Is First Witness
Examined.

PACIFIC GROVE, Sept. 1.-THE Cali
fornia NJ. Z. Conference met this morn
ing for an hour in executive session, at
the close Of which the names of the COM
mitteemen selected to try the charges Of
improper conduct preferred against DR.. J.
b. Hammond were given out as follows:
Hugh Copeland. l. NJ. Ewing, J. E.
Wright, J. ". Pendleton, J. A. Van Anda,
Clarence Reed. J. W. Phelps. W. S. Kelly,
l. R. Lovejoy, R. T. Wenk, W B. Priddy,
c. E Rich, NJ J. Cough, frank R. Wal
ton, James Whitaker.
Bishop CranstOn appointed DR.. II. B.
Heacock TO preside over the sessions of
the committee. The counsel for DR.. Ham
mond are J. B. Chenowith and c. K
Jenness: for the church. ]. N Beard and
A c. Bsne.
The open session was devoted entirely
10 calling the roll Of the conference, the
character Of every member except that
Of DR.. Hammond, which is under inves-
LEGATION. being passed
The lay electoral conference, which met
this morning, elected ROlla V. Watt Of
San Francisco, T. 3. Hutchinson Of
Napa, Miss Lulu Mayne Of College Park,
c B. Perkins Of San Francisco and
George D. Kellogg Of Newcastle delegates
to the General Conference Of 1904. Harry
Morton Of San Jose. A. F. Gilbert OF
Oakdale and jeremiah Letter of San
Jose were elected alternates.
The committee selected to try the
charges Of improper conduct preferred
against DR.. ]. D. Hammond met in the
afternoon behind closed doors. Specula-
ton is rife regarding the nature of the
testimony presented. but nothing definite
is known relating 10 it It is known,
however. that the first specification taken
up was the charge Of culpable neglect in
of he
the San Francisco depository.
The only witness examined was Rolla
Y Watt Of San Francisco, a member of
the commission which succeeded DR..
Hammond in the management Of the San
Francisco depository.
At the meeting Of the lay electoral con-
ference this morning, when the delegates
to the General Conference of 1904 were
elected, resolutions were passed asking
for the restoration Of the rule limiting the
time which pastors may serve in one
charge and opposing the removal Of the
time limit from the terms of presiding
elders Resolutions were also passed rec
ognizing the good work done by the COM
mission in charge Of the book depository
Of san Francisco; recommending that all
persons handling church funds be re-
quired 10 give surety bonds; requesting
Bishop CranstOn TO appoint presiding
elder Of the Chinese district some person
Iamlllar Win the language customs ana
peculiarities Of the Chinese; that the con-
ference be requested TO publish in its
minutes a report Of the finances of the
Chinese district, and recommending that
no appropriation be made by the Mission
AIRY Society for this district unless rec
commended by the conference.
At a meeting Of the California Lay As
sOciatlOn Of the Methodist Episcopal
church this afternoon The Consolidation
Of 1fel1fr Int 4
cussed, Rolla V. Watt Of San Francisco
arguing in favor Of such action and VIII
liam DOnlOn Of San Jose against.
At the concluding session of the Lay
Association tonight the following officers
were elected for next year: President
Miss Mary Dickson, Petaluma; first vice
president, A. B. Bishop, San Jose; second
vice president, Miss Helen A. Danly, San
Francisco; recording secretary, Percy R.
y. Jenkins. San Francisco; corresponding
secretary, J. Z. White, San Francisco;
treasurer, F. l. Turpin, San Francisco.