Smyrna times., 1905-03-22
CORKRAN AND BAKER FOUND GUILTY.
Committee of Fifteen Try Them For Gambling
and Suspeuds COrkran For One Year and
ExpelIs Baker From Conference,

ran, ID. d., formerly a resident of
Smyrna when Presiding Elder of
Easton District. returned to con-
ference Saturday afternoon and an
nounced that it had found DIR. Cork
ran guilty of gambling and high i'm
prudence and unministeriai conduct,
but acquitted him on the counts of |
falsehood and fraud. In fixing the
penalty, DIR. Corkran had close call |
from being expelled from the Confer
ence, for the Committee stood nine for
suspension and six for expulsion.
Doctor Corkran was then dismissed |
from the ministry for one year. The
latter declined to discuss the case. His
counsel, through the Rev. J. A. B.
Wilson, formerly of this conference,
but now of California, gave notice of
an appeal to the Judicial Committee of
the General Conference of the Church.
Anxious Moment For the Rev. DR.. COrkrau.
When the ministers gathered in the
auditorium of Grace Methodist Epis-
copal Church, at o'clock Saturday af-
ternoon, the crowd which gathered
to hear the verdict, was very large.
DIR. Corkran occupied the front seat in
the church with the Rev. Ralph L.
Coursey, who was one of his counsel
and also VAIN personal friend. Doc
tor Corkran appeared pale and anxious
and that he was i'll at ease was shown
by the nervous manner in which he
played with hymnbook. When the
members of the committee appeared it
was at once suspected they had reached
a verdict of guilty, for they all ap-
peared solemn.
Found Guilty on Two Counts by Committee.
The Rev. W. A. Wise, the secretary
of the conference, then read the report
which was as follows: "The select
number in the case of Wilbur F. Cork
ran appointed to try the cases against
him reported that there were four
charges-frst, gambling; second,
fraud; third, high imprudence and un-
ministerial conduct; fourth, falsehood.
''They found the first charge, viz,
gambling, sustained. The second
charge, viz, fraud, not sustained, but
that the evidence under that charge
did sustain charge of high impru-
dence and unministerial conduct. The
fourth charge, viz, falsehoods, was
not sustained. The select number de-
termined that the penalty for the Of
fenses found to have been committed
by the Rev. W. f. Corkran should be
that he be suspended from the minis.
try for one year; that is, until the ses.
sion of the Wilmington Conference in
the year 1906,
cOrkrau's Dealing In Smyrna and Other Places
While the committee did not sustain
the charge of fraud, the vote being II
to 4, 1t did sustain by vote of 10 tc
the first specification under that heaC
alleging that .'for the period between
1900 and 1904, or about that time, the
said Rev. W. f. Corkran sold, or at
tempted to sell, unlisted stocks o.
doubtful character, to Wilbur Thomas
and L. Bates Russell of Chestertown
Edward Hart of Townsend, Lewis At
well of Sassafras, General 1. I. Parker
of Wilmington, Mrs. James Benson o
ST. Michaels, Joseph Harper of Still
Pond, G. H. Dick and William FAIRIES
of Smyrna, and numerous others. The
.. ''Committee of Fifteen" confirmed b,
Council were: L. E. Barrett, Dover
J. D. Reese, Beckwith, E. FL. Nelson
FELTON,; William Cashmere, Frederick
F. G. McSorley, Kent Island; ]. w
Jones, Townsend; j. p. Outten, Cap
! Charles; W. E. Hills, Gumsboro; C. A
Hill, Salisbury; G. W. Townsend
Hurlock; F. l.. Hardesty, Whitesville
G.. T. Anderson, Snow Hill; @. W
,Prettyman, New Castle; E. P. Roberts
: Easton; Asbury Burke, Wilmington
t Rev. c. s. Baker Tried and Expelled.
After a brief session yesterday tn
o select number or special committee @
! the Wilmington M. E. Conference, ap
: pointed to hear the case of Rev. @.
Baker, returned a verdict on all thre
charges-gambling, fraud and unmir
isterial conduct, which had bee
brought and he was deposed from th
!. ministry. The result of the trial OF
!. = casioned considerable surprise as
: was expected that the punishment i
the case would be the same as in th
: case of DIR. Corkran. Under this vel
I = dict DIR. Baker is dropped from th
ministry and cannot enter again unlei
- :. the consent of the Wilmington Cor
= ference is obtained. He is still men
= ber of the Methodist Episcopi
= Church, but is merely layman. d.
Baker was present in the room whe
the report was presented. The Re
"A w. f. Corkran, who was convicted I