Smyrna times., 1904-07-06
CORKRAN AND BAKER SUSPENDED.

After Fair Church Trial Rev. Or. W. {
COrkran and Rev Or. c S. Baker are Sus
pended Until Next Annual Conference.
After a session of three days, Pre-.
siding Elder Mowbray and his COM
mlttee of nine ministers, FRIDAY
morning returned a verdict of guilty
IN the case of the Rev. DR.. Wilbur
+. COrkran formerly a resident and
Presiding Elder at Smyrna, growing
out of his transactions in the stock
market and his selling of unlisted
stocks. Following the verdict in the
case of DR.. Corkran, the charges
against the Rev. Dr. Charles S. Baker.
of Asbury Church Wilmington former
ly OF Dover were prosecuted. and
after the hearing had proceeded an
hour the case was referred to the com.
mlttee returned virdict of guilty in
this case also. The decisions of the
committee carries with them the suspen-
sion of DIR. Corkran and DR.. Baker
from exercising all ministerial duties
until the session of the Wilmington
Conference in March next, when both
ministers will be placed on trial on
the charges on which they were adj
Judged guilty Friday. Throwing the
cases INTO the Conference will provoke
one OF the most interesting sessions in
It's history, as DIR. COrkran and Or.
Baker have personal following.
which will stick by them. DR.. Cork
ran for twelve years was a presiding
elder and twice has been a delegate to
the General Conference. while DR..
Baker has been a presiding elder for
SIX years and was twice a delegate to
the General Conference. Neither DIR
COrkran nor DR.. Baker would discuss
the outcome of the investigation for
publication, and explained that thev
did not wish to get into anv contro
versy over it. Presiding Elder Now.
bray is to supply Asbury Church Will
mington which DR. Baker must give
up. The action of the committee also
vacates the pupit of Fritz Memorial
Church at South Bethlehem. Pa
where DR.. Corkran has been pastor.
The sealed verdict agreed upon, was
read in the case of DIR. Corkran. as
follows: "Charge 1, specification /.
Conducting gambling operations
through firm of brokers in Baltimore
and other similar stock concerns
Verdict guilty. Specification ,. A
to a representative Of The
North American, practically confess.
ing gambling. Verdict guilty. Charge
:, fraud; specification l. Selling and
to sell stock of a doubtful
using misrepresentation in
order to induce purchases. Verdict
guilty, not of fraud, but of high i'm.
prudence and unministerlal character.
Charge 3 high imprudence and un-
couduct; specification /.
Negotiations and transactions concern.
ing the sale of stock of Standard Tele-
phone Co., of Crisfeld Verdict guilty.
Specification ?, questionable business
with a firm in Baltimore
Verdict, guilty. Specification 3, en-
gaSlng in secular persuits while re.
celvlng sufficient salary for legitimate
needs. Verdict. guilty. "Specifica-
ton 4. engaging In secular pursuits
OF a questionable character and ex
plotting stocks of a questionable and
even doubtful character. Verdict
guilty. He is hereby suspended from
exercise of ministerial functions and
until the next session of the
Conference. After the
Corkran case had been disposed of the
charges against Baker were taken mn
The formal charge, on which the latter
was found guilty, were as follows.
Gambling transactions through firm
Of brokers in Baltimore, known as
Lell Il Merceret. Charge ,, fraud in
exploiting unlisted stocks. Charge 2.
High imprudence and unministerial
conduct in making Misrepresentation
and engaging in secular pursuits of a
questionable character.