The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-22
Courts Decision in Harrison
Street Baptist Church Row.
is IN COURT FOUR, DAYS
The Affair Was the Occasion of Great
Commotion Among the Negroes OF
Petersburg ard Also Aroused In
terest Among the Whites.
tspeo,sl to TIL. Times. dispatch. j


case OF the ,Iaev, Ellis Watts, the pastor
and the old dcaeons Of Harrison-street
Baptist Church, celored, against the Sc
cedlng faeten Judge Mullen this after
noon decided that Waits ls the proper
paster and the former deacons the proper
deneons Of the ehurchJ that the meeting
at which the pastor and deaeons were
turned out was illegal, and that tho ie-
male members oE the church should DE
entitled te vote In such matters, In or
der TO facilitate harmony among the mem
bers meeting Of the church Will be held
under the supervision of the court ana
one Of the commissioners III chancefy
will act as moderator. This case has oc-
cupled the attention OF the court for four
days. Tho Immediate question Involved
WAS "WhoN oonlposcs the church at this
time"
rho trouble began over tho refusal of
tho pastors and dcacons to permit the
funeral Of former deacon to take place
in that church because nn undertaken
not member Of the church, had charge
Of the funeral Many indirect charges OF
arbitrary acts we're brought against tho
pastor, but the only specific charge was
that in reference to the refusal 10 per-
NIL inc luucEdl u l)SdCOIl SiiSSiA'
Mr.. Bernard Mann, for Watts and the
old deacons, opened the case Friday IN
a speech OF three hours. He was followed
by Mr.. r. B. Davis and Mr.. George Ma
son yesterday. the counsel Tor the seceu-
Ing faction. MIR. George S. Bernard, toi
the Watts faction, was speaking When
the court adjourned yesterday afternoon;
Ho concluded his argument to-day, anu
the Judge within q short time rendered
the opinion. ..
The affair has caused considerable In
tcrest among the colored people. and since
the case has occupied the court lot sucli
considerable time. many white people. nave
manifested live interest IN the aItair'
MIR. ZDUNLOP'S YACHT,
Mr.. David Dunlop arrived In Petersburg
this morning from Poughkeepsie, N. "
m his handsome new steam yacht ven
t,ra !" ,rhis Is one Of the handsomest
Yachts ever owned in Virginia. 1t was
built last Juno by G. D. Miller, of Pough-
kcepsie. N. Y, at cost or ABOUT szo'uvo.
It's full length Is ninety-eight rect its
width Is thirteen feet, and It draws nve
feet Of water. There are perlh accoiiiiiio
drtions for six.
The yacht is handsomely finished
throughout In mahogany and iurnlsneu
with every convenience to add to the COM
fort and pleasure Of passengers.
Work Is now under way on tho clup-
house to be built at Coggins' Point. opPo-
site MISSIONER by Mr.. Dunlop. This IS
sid TO be one Of tho PROTEST sites on
the James, and the plans for the build
ings would Indicate TINT few club-houses
in the South will equal the ono 10 DIG
erected by Mr.. Dunlop.
Messrs. John Seward, u. r. GOODWIN
and Frank x. Clements Will meet MT.
John X Peoples this evening ana go over
the plans for the new hotel. 1t IS very
,i,,o,,r tho+ tho n,aus will be given to the
bidders tomorrow.
Tho new Board Of Governors Of the
Country Club met last evening IN the
Office of tho secretary. Captain N. !.
Pattcson. The board transacted regulnr
business and discussed many mntte1eS
OF interest to the club They oeterthlie y
to build n water tank on the GROUNDS, TO
continue to improve the golf links, and 10
| this end will purchase a heavy roller to
| be run over the grounds. They also decided
| to give dance at the clubhouse each
week during the summer. The CLUB now
has n neat sum on hand which VIII DC
| spent for the benefit and pleasure OF the
| members
REV. GEORGE STUART.
| Rev. George Stuart. the distinguished
Southern evangelist, will hold revival ser
| Vices in Petersburg during May, ne
| date and place have not been definitely
| determined upon. but Will be known tliis
week, II seems that 1t VIII be lmpossl-
| Bile to get the Virginia Warehouse Tor
| these services, and the prospects now are
that they will be held at Center Ware
| house.
About sxty-lve delegates to the GRAND
Council Royal Arcanum of Virginia
which began In the Exchange building. IN
Roanoke this evening at o'clock passed
through Petersburg this morning FOR Roa'
noke. They were Joined In this city pS
Mr. James b. Blanks. grand secretary OF
the state; Mr.. James p. Banks. member
of the State Finance Committee; Mr. Ger
I man Gill, secretary of the Southside Coun
ell. and Mr. w, T, Parham, OF Sycamore
Council.
/ Very successful revival services arr
now In progress at Hgh-street Methodls
Church in this city. Tho pastor, Rev
George u. Booker. is being assisted d.
Rev. George Wesley Jones. Of Norfolk
The singing each evening Is conducted D!
Rev, John Eure, of Matoaca, There wer
four professions of faith last evening".
From the farmers of this vicinity Wn
have recently been In Petersburg It J
learned that farming operations are de
layed two or three weeks by tho pre-
vailing rains Many OF tho farmers VII
had prepared their lands ready for crop
will have to replow. they having bee
beaten together again by heavy rain
fall. Farmers do not report any serlou
, | DAMAGE 10 lINll liilS lh', WV tAp - =
in this vicinity will doubtless be shoI
by reason Of the recent cold weather
IN PETERSBURG,
Colonel benjamin y. Montgomery. fol
merly Of Petersburg, Mt one time manage
of the Western Union Telegraph office J
this city and now chief OF tho TELEGRAPH
and Cipher Bureau at the White Hous
: In Washington, was In Petersburg yestel
day and received warm welcome froI
, many friends,
The Republicans expect TO begin tn
publication OF their paper In RoanoR
VERY soon. General Stith Boiling, Of P'
! tersburg who Is interested In this publ
! cation, was In Roanoke the latter pa
of last week. The company viii ha,
J available assets amounting TO about 700
{ COO.
> Excavation for the large warehouse
be built by Roper and Company on "
site of the old IJnion-Street Methodl
! Church is now nearly completed, and wol
Q on tho building is expected soon to begi
: The building will be two stories. with
, basement and Will be erected at a co
OF about $4,000,
Mr., II. r. Rayburn, MANAGER OF I,
: Western Union Telegraph office In IN
49, Il .,.1