Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-14
TROUBLE AT A CHURCH
ROW OVER SELECTION OF BAP
TIST PASTOR.
Statement Of a Trustee Of Metropolitan
Church-Police Called in
What Happened.

The members Of the congregation of the
Metropolitan Baptist Church, on R street
between 18th and 18th streets northwest
last night decided, by vote of 261 to 23S.
that they do not for the present favor the
election of permanent pastor The cleo
tion was held In accordance with the decree
or justice Ashley M. Gould of the District
Supreme Court in connection with the case
OF Anderson Hogan ct al against Simon w
+. Drew ct al. The vote last evening
brings to a close in the eyes of the law,
for the present at least, the internal dis
sension which has marred the peace and
quietude of the church for more than two
months, and, it is claimed, defeats the eff
forts of Simon w. P. Drew to be elected to
the pastorate OF the church.
Cries of corruption" conspiracy" "un-
fair deaf' and like charges, emanating
from the supporters of Drew were heard
above the great roar of cheers and yells oc-
caSioned by the announcement of the count
There was large crowd at the church
long before the hour fixed for the voting
to begin.
The interest of the assemblage was in
creased by the arrival, shortly after 8
o'clock of the supervisors OF election ap-
pointed by Justice Gould in connection
with the legal proceedings. The super
visors were DR.. Theron Outwater pastor
of Kendall Baptist Church: Rev Dr. Rob-
ert r. West, formerly Of Brooklyn, N Y,
but now of this city, and the Rev. c. H
Phillips of Richmond, Va. in Washington
In attendance upon. the annual session of
the Virginia Baptist state convention They
went to the study of the church, and were
in session more than an hour.
Proceeding to the Sunday school room the
supervisors OF election took seats on the
rostrum. Great disappointment was ex-
pressed upon the announcement by the
clerk that only members of the church,
whose names appeared on the official reg
lister, would be allowed to cast a vote.
This announcement was great surprise to
the aSsemblage, as every person present
apparently came to the edifice for the ex-
press purpose of participating In defeating
or electing Drew. In order that the MEM
bers Of the church might be separated
from the visitors and persons not entitled
to vote. the supervisors of election dec ded
to hold the election In the auditorium of
the church edifice. 1t was further arranged
that as the name of each member was
called they should pass. by way of a small
stairway in the rear of the edIfice, from the
Sunday school room to the auditorium.
The supervisors of election appointed
clerks to scrutinize all persons passing UP
the stairway. William Howard was chal-
lenger.
When the roll call was completed there
remained in the Sunday school room more
than 800 persons. The announcement that
the name of every member of the church
had been called occasioned rush of the
crowd to the rostrum. For the first time
the policemen were called into the church
to preserve order. Practically all per-
sons in the crowd declared that they were
entitled to vote In the election. Some
claimed that their names had been scratched
ed from the official register. and others de-
clared that their names had not been called.
The clerk of election attempted to pacify
them
With the aid of the police the crowd was