The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-06
POLICE CALLED
TO CHURCH ROW
CONFERENCE IN A TURMOIL.
LIVELY TIMES AT SECOND AFRI-
CAN BAPTIST CHURCH.

Women Insisted Upon Voting-One
Faction Wanted to Re-instate Rev.
J. j. Durham, the Pastor, Who
Resigned Some Time Ago, But the
other Crowd Carried the Meeting.
A Second Meeting Was Then Call
ed by Those in Favor of Durham
and q General Row Came Nenr
Being Precipitated.
The conference of the Second Afri-
can Baptist Church, at State and
Houston streets. which was held last
night, ended in a general row, and
serious trouble was averted only by the
timely arrival of the police.
The troubles of the church will be
aired in Police Court, when the case
against w. H. Logan, the leader of one
faction, will be arraigned on a charge
of disorderly conduct.
The row was occasioned by an effort
to reinstate Rev. j. ]. Durham, the
pastor, who resigned some time ago,
charges having been made against
Kim. Logan led the faction for the
preacher. and w. r. Fields was at the
head of the other crowd, which gained
possession of the meeting and carried
it's point
SISTERS" Wanted to Vote.
There were many women at the con-
ference and the crowd. which favored
reinstating Durham, wanted to let
them vote, but Fields, THE chairman of
the deacons, who was presiding at the
meeting, ruled that they could not.
Logan, the leader of the other faction,
contended that the sisters" are entit-
led to vote and the women demanded
the franchise right.
The women were not allowed to vote,
however. and Fields was chosen as
moderator to have charge of the
church until pastor is elected. Logan
and his crowd attempted to have Dur
ham reinstated, but failed. AS soon as
the regular business had been conclud-
ed a motion to adjourn was made and
carried. Logan then called upon all
who were for Durham to remain for
another meeting.
Then Things Got Rough.
1t was then that things began to get
rough. The officers of the church de-
clined to allow the second meeting to
be held and the other crowd insisted
upon holding it.
1t looked for while like the confer
ence would end in a free for all fight.
Messengers were hastily sent to police
headquarters, only a short distance
away, and Sergeant Woods. Detective
Murphy and Patrolmen Meldrim and
Cowart hurried to the church.
Whe the officers arrived the church
members were shaking their hands in
each others faces. Trouble seemed
imminent. The newly elected modera-
tor, and a number of the officers, pre-
ferred charges against Logan and Lo-
gan asked that charges be preferred
against Fields. Both men were car
ried to police headquarters, almost the
entire congregation stringing along be-
hind.
Crowded About Headquarters.
Four or five hundred negroes crowd
ed about the police headquarters to
see what would be the outcome of the
case. The police, after investigation,
declined to book any charges against
Fields. A case charging Logan with
disOrderly conduct was docketed and
he was given a subpoena to appear in
court this morning. The court room
will probably be crowded with MEM
bers of the congregation.
Fields says that Logan has never
taken much interest in church affairs,
and that he is simply working to get
Durham back. Logan, according to
Fields, had no right to attempt to take
part in the meeting at all, as he has
been placed under discipline.
Logan, on the other hand, contends
that his side was not recognized and
that the women were not allowed TO
vote. He says under the laws of the
Baptist Church the women have that
right.