Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-05-25
BELOVED PASTOR
PROVES f|REBUG
New York Minister
Shows Jekyll-
Hyde Traits.
ACCUSES SELF or CRIME
Graduate of Edinburgh Uui.
versity is Mystery to
Waterloo Police.

Waterloo y. y, May 2o.-ln lne
person of the Rev. G. Stuart Balm, con
fessed pyromanic, alienists have a sub
ject after their own heart. 1t is fol
them TO decide whether, as he sug
gests himself, his has been genuine
Jekyll and Hyde existence; whether
his crimes are due to autohypnosis
self,imposed phynotism, or whether
his is case of habitual criminality
Balm Is in jail here charged with
setting fire TO the First Baptist Church
of which he was pastor He admits he
did ii. He wrote anonymous letters to
the police directing suspicion to him.
self.
Balm is Scotchman by birth and a
graduate of Edinburgh University. He
Is an eX-convict as well as a preacher
and eX-preacher. He Is As years old
md Is known to have had five charges
in the west in the Presbyterian demon.
nation, mission at Newburg, as well
as the Baptist Church here. His rec.
ord, as it has been compiled by Dis
trict Attorney Bodine, Is:
In 1889, pastor of church in Prince.
ton, Illinois; 1890, pastor Garden
Place, Illinois; 1891, pastor Harvard,
Illinois; 1892, pastor Garnett, Kansas;
1893, pastor Converse formerly Xe.
mia, Indiana 1904 he was suspended
from the Presbyterian ministry.
In 1896 he was sent to Joliet prison
for embezzlement, and was released
in 1899.
Wanders Over Country as Cook.
In his Kansas Presbyterian charge
three incendiary fires marked the pas
torate. He was deposed from the Pres
byterian ministry for improper con.
duct in money matters. He has wan
dered about the country picking up
odd jobs here and there, chiefly as a
cook in hotels. He has been some
thing of what might be called Grim
inal tramp He floated into New York
City and in the Baptist mission was
converted over again and through DR..
Simpsons Christian Alliance school in
Nyack he drifted again into the minis
try, and now has landed in Jail as a
pyromaniac
Balm says when he is good he re-
members everything; that when he Is
bad--which seems to have been large
ly his normal condition--he remembers
nothing He declares he Is victim
Of spells" when memory and con-
sciousness of right leave him utterly,
when depraved instincts take posses
sion Of him.
Constant Temptation to Lie.
He admits he has a constant temp
tation to lie and has lied until he has
been found out with disastrous re-
suits. He recalls much and lot of
little things, which makes his asser-
ton he has complete loss of memory
for his evil deeds seem inconsistent to
the authorities, but he does not recall
any pyromaniac tendencies The au-
thorities are inclined to think they are
dealing simply with depraved man
and that his suggestion of double iden-
tity with complications of morbid psy.
chology is simply the invention of
crafty imposter.
Some of the congregation here did
not like him. There was something
about him that made them little sus-
picious, a suggestion OF temperament
that made them all hold aloof.
From time to time Balm tried to bor-
row money from members of the con
gregation on notes. He did not sue
ceed and whispers began to be circu
lated about him among certain mem
bers of the flock His salary was $500
year with free rent of parsonage.