The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-15
PREACHERS At OUTS
One Preacher Sues
Another Fer Defam-
alton of Character.
elimination of a Hot Dispute That Has
Been Going On in the Neighbor-
hood OF Old Waxhaw Baptist
Church.
Church.

What's the matter with the preach
ers?
big array of eminent lawyers are
now engaged in Raleigh in trying a
famous suit in which one Methodist
preacher is suing a Methodist preacher
because he alleges that he uttered
words that were untrue in defamation
of character. That case has been
twice before the Supreme court, and
is now being tried a third time.
Just as public attention is centred
upon this trial, growing out of a dis
agreement between Methodist preach
ers. here comes another suit of a North
Carolina preacher for alleged damages
due to defamation to character. This
time both the preachers are Baptists
and the full story is thus given by the
Monroe Journal:
Rev j. W. Rodwell, of Jackson
township, has sued Rev. j. w. Little
for damages for defamation OF charac-
ter This is the present elimination
of a hot dispute that has been going
on for six months in the neighborhood
of old Waxhaw Baptist church, and
which has badly split up the neighbour
hood and the church. Rev. Mr.. Little
now lives near Sanford but is pastor
of the Waxhaw church. He preached
there Sunday, and at the close OF the
sermon made remarks that caused q
scene and resulted in the trip OF Mr.,
Rowell to town yesterday and the in
stitution of the damage suit. The con-
troversy is a most wonderful one, and
seems to be about as follows:
some time ago Rev. Mr.. Little cir
culated the statement that While on
trip in the WaXhaw neighborhood in
February, he was waylaid by two men
who pulled him off his vehicle and hit
him a stunning blow in the side
knocking him down. On recovering
he rose with stick and knocked both
the men down. When they in turn re-
covered they begged the preachers
pardon and asked him to say nothing
about the affair. This was agreed TO,
they all made friends, had love feast
and entered q solemn compast TO drop
the matter and tell no one what had
occurred. 1t seems that Mr., Little re-
earded the compact as binding only
as regards the names of the party, for
he went to telling it about, but always
refused to give any names. 1t seems
that for some reason of past differ
ences. the community began to point
to two or three men as the ones who
had been the fighters So about three
weeks ago the following circular was
distributed:
'sTo Whom il May Concern.
"Rev. J. W. Little, the Gatlin gun
evangelist, has very strongly intimated
and left the impression on a few pre-
JUDGED people, that we were the ones
engaged in the notorious fight he has
published in this community. We take
this method of informing all who arr
not acquainted with the circumstances
that Me are not. We know nothing at
all about it, and are in no way con-
nected with the evangelist, his illogical
fights, nor his manner and method OF
abusing people. Therefore we chal-
lenge him in all his notoriety, any OF
his jealous followers, or any human
being to prove to the contrary
u B. GODFREY.
JOHN d. GODFREY.
a. w. ROWELL.
eve, the undersigned know these
men and do not believe they are guilty
and can conscientiously say they have
been treated with great injustice. We
say further in behalf of the parties
accused and our community generally,
we do not believe the Rev. J. W. Little
has had any fight whatever.
1.-The latter statement was signed by
forty-eight names. Sunday was Mr..
Titles regular appointment as pastor
of the church. After the sermon he
referred to the matter and said things
about Rev. Mr.. Rowell that caused
the latter's wife to rise up in the aisle
and deny them and caused the suit to
be begun