The sun., 1903-11-27
THINK HOBBINS A SUICIDE.
POLICE GET NO TRACE or THE
CHURCH TREASURER.

Women Of st. Aibaus Parish Blame Curate
Weyill. Who Had Said Their Gossap
Drove Hobblns Crazy--TaIk Of Charges
10 he Filed Against tho Minister.
No trace was found yesterday Of Joseph
H. Hobbins. treasurer Of st. Albans
Protestant Episcopal Church. in Summit
avenue, High Bridge. who disappeared from
his home in Union street, The Bronx, early
on Tuesday night, leaving behind his over
coat watch and other things which he usually
had with him.
The police of the High Bridge station and
the Central Office men who worked on the
case yesterday gave it as their opinion
that he committed suicide in moment OF
temporary alteration. Soon after he left
his dry goods store, at Union street and
Ogden avenue, on Tuesday night. they
believe that he jumped into the Harlem
River, which is only short distance from
his house.
The suggestion made on Wednesday, that
his mind was affected by worry over a
row in st. Alhans church, was accepted
generally by the police and others in The
Bronx Yesterday. Chief authority for this
theory is the Rev. r. H. Wevill, curate OF
st. Adams, who asserted on Wednesday
that Hobbins's condition was largely
due to the gossiping Of women members
Of the congregation.
The women had something to say
about the affair yesterday. They as
serted, without stopping for breath
that Treasurer Hobbins had not worried
about their talking to him; that what he
did worry about was the injustice which
Mr.. Wevil had shown in suspending Joseph
Alien, the young lay reader. who % student
in the General Theological Seminary. and
who shad served the church faithfully and
honorably" for two or three years; that MIR.
Hobbins had been much grieved over tine
slap" which Alten had received: that Mr..
wanted to g i've up his job as treasurer: that
the Rev. Mr.. Wevill insisted on his continu-
ing to serve because Of the influence which
he had. and that Treasurer. Hobhins had
told women folks in the church that no
got worked up to such pitch that every
his head went 'Wevill, Wevill Wevill:
In addition to this. women in the church
said that Mr. Wevill had started fuss
with the Dutch Reformed Church at High
Bridge by accusing that church In an Epis-
from St. Alhan's, with the result that the
Dutch Reformed folks in High Bridge
got angry and wouldn't trade with Mr.
Hobbins, because he was treasurer OF Mr.
Wevill's church.
Dutch Reformed Church "a sort OF de:
partment store in religion and described
it as "the Methopalian- -Preebyg ygationalist.
Later. these woman members said, tho
Rev. Mr.. Wevill apologized to the pastor
of the Dutch Reformed Church In another
communication. but he spoiled everything,
that the love which the Dutch Reformed
Church had for St. Adams was akin to
that which the wolf had for Little Red
Kd,ng gnr;hteS the nemen ssd ast fal
and they had weighed on Hobbins' mind.
The women who Mr.. Weyill had said
talked too much said further that the
curate's stand against the young lay reader
was entirely due to jealousy; He Vas
they said.
Some Of tho women In the congregation
got up a petition with forty-ni names
on it, asking that Mr.. Alten be returned.
that Mr. Wevill be compelled M 70 te1plMaln
Alten be accepted as the permanent
rector when he was ordained, next year.
Mr. Hobbns signed this petition, 1t was
presented to Archdeacon Nelson. but he
did not act on 1t. =.
Mr.. Wevill denied yesterday that he had
caused Treasurer Hobbins any worry.
He reiterated that II was the woman gossips
who had bothered him almost to death
He said that one of the chief CAUSES Of
worry which Mr.. Hobbins had was the
fear that "those women would bring about
a rupture between himself and the curate.'
Hobbins signed the petition In favor Of the
recall Of Mr.. Alien, the curate said, under
Misrepresentation" not knowing at the
time that it was at all opposed by Mr..
Wevil.
He said that the reason he suspended
Mr. Alien was that he was disobedient.
Il simply requested the young man"
over with me, but he replied that he didn't
know Of anything that he cared to talk over
The last time I saw Mr.. Hobhins was
about a week ago." said the Rev. Mr..
Weyill. Il knew that he was on the verge Of
collapse. When l left him he fell on
my shoulder and wept. and told him that
Mr.. Wevill believes that the treasurer
is wandering around in the woods east Of
High Bridge, but the police have secured
them thoroughly and got no trace OF him.
Edward Jones Of Summit avenue. who
was once a trustee in st. Alban's Church
but who got out several months age, said
yesterday that he would personally fle
the Rev. Mr.. Wevill to-day. Mr.. Jones
refused to talk about the nature Of the
charges, but he said they had nothing in
particular to do with the present furry
Of excitement. Mr.. Wevill himself said that
Mr.. Joness chief complaint ss was that ;st he he
instructions and then got left With Il on his
hands. Mr.. Jones admitted that he had
s7GO organ.