Amador ledger., 1904-05-27
jackson Scandal Aired in Sacramento.

The sacramento Bee OF Tuesday last
contains an article headed jackson,
Amador county, Stirred by Singular
Scandal. ?" The ventilation of this local
sensation is the outcome of visit of a
Bee reporter to Jackson last week. The
scandal referred to has been touched
upon lightly by the local papers. 1t
has consisted as the Bee states of some
party, or parties unknown, sending
scurrilous and anonymous letters to
we'll known men and women. Ordinar-
ilv an unsigned letter is consigned to
the fire without ado. That is the
proper disposition of such an epistle.
A letter that the writer is ashamed or
afraid to father is beneath notice unless
it's contents come within the scope of
the penal code, in which case the
authorities should leave nothing un-
done to ferret out the author. The
first letter was sent through the post
office, with dual address. We have
not seen it, but those who have are
unanimous of the opinion that the OBJ
ject was to SOW the seeds of dissension
10 the M. E. church. Instead of this,
however, it has had just the opposite
effect. The congregation as we'll as
the members are probably more united
and harmonious than at any previous
time in the history of the church. 1t
is not doubtful that the starting
letter that caused so much hubub
would render its author, if known,
liable to criminal prosecution. 1t is
claimed that letter as found on the
porch of dwelling, and second one
of a threatening nature tackled to the
door of the same residence. The pre-
vailing impression is that all these COM
municatiOns emanated from one source,
and naturally enough under the cir
cumstances people will not only talk
but draw conclusions. The sensation
has assumed more virulent and bitter
phase of late. 1t has invaded church,
fraternal and school circles, and it is
not at all unlikely that it will take a
hand in the forthcoming school trustee
election in jackson. Not in 80 years
has this town been so stirred by the
scandal monger. The Bee article will
not tend to allay the sensation. The
investigs tiOn is not through with here
yet. The determination is pronounced
in some quarters that tho matter shall
not be dropped until the facts as far as
they are obtainable, are fully and pub
licly ventilated. We copy portion of
the Bee article as follows:
The sheriff of Amador county is
working on the case, and the citizens
of the town whose feelings have been
outraged by the receipt of the letters
declare that they will leave no stone
unturned to discover the author and
bring him to justice. A singular fea-
ture of the affair is that many of these
letters have been sent to a Clergyman,
Rev. J. F. Morrow.
In an interview with Bee reporter
at Jackson, Rev J. W. Phelps, pastor
at the Methodist church there, said
one of the letters referred to was posted
on the door of Rev. Morrow's home.
Local interest attaches to the Jack
son scandal by reason of the fact that
Rev. J. F. Morrow was several years
ago pastor of the Methodist church at
Oak Park, and that while he held that
pastorate Objectionable letters of SINH
lar character were received by many
citizens, including. as he declared, him
self.
This coincidence has led Rev. Phelps |
of jackson to write to Rev. Il. w. |
Baker, the present pastor of the Oak |
Park church, for information concern
ing the record of Morrow at Oak Park,
and in Sacramento.
1t has been declared that certain
parties are endeavoring to procure in
formation concerning Morrow's record
as basis for charges to be filed against |
him at the next conference of the Meth
odist church at Pacific Grove in Sep
tember.
Morrow himself was called upon at
Jackson by the Bee reporter, but, al
though admitting the receipt Of sever
al anonymous letters, he refused to
divulge their contents, explaining that
to do so would injure the prospect OF
apprehending the author.