Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-23
Suit ia Which Church Scandal il m.
VOWED Results II Sensational y. Trial n
! Banker and 0rsanist Of Church
Whose Names Are Coupled in Story
ofiDntimaey Refuse TO Testify.
to Times Republican.

| both a summer and winter home, de-
clared on oath that Swift unfolded to
him a scheme for securing money. from
Cornell. while Swift lust as positive
" testified that the letter writing
scheme, which caused all the trouble,
Twas suggested to him by Bennett. Rev
S. s, Lapham Of straiford. III, and
several members OF Swift,s former
congregation at Winterset also testi;-
fed against the accused minister yes
| terday. ai
Stories OF undue Intimacy between
w. ]. Cornell, cashier of the Winter
set bank. and Miss Effie Turner, church
organist and X society leader, were
brought out, but theetrial so far has
lacked many of the sensational feat
ures which made the first hearing OF
the ease such noteworthy one Neith-
err Miss Turner or Cornell were in the
court room yesterday, and they viii
not testify. 3f,5t
49, Didn't Write Letters. !.
About the only undisputed fact
brought out was that Bennett did write
! the letters named In the indictment,
He claims that they were meant merely
! as warning to Miss Turner and Corr
. nell, and that he sent them in the
hope Of influencing them to cease thsls
alleged indiscreet conduct before Mt
resulted in a scandal. The prosecde
ton introduced letter from Swift I'M
dEvangelist Bennett In which he tellsss6f
"the cornell outfit being defeated ir1a
Sunday school election, and says Nm
reference to Mrs. Cornell, Poor Old
Nell She got her tail over the line.
and how she did kick. She was IA
sight" Farther along in the same ct
tier he says,,SS"And old Nell laughed apd
|sEffie 4 smiled "a srnole and old Bill
snickered, referring to Mr.. and Mrs.
Cornell ana Miss Turner. Then he
says: Il preached for half an hour on
Jesus the lTroubler.'i"
u 1t was brought out that Swift at:
various times in speaking Of CORNELL
had threatened ito get his hide" and
3etos get him YETI Swift himself testi- y
fled thatRhe had a quarrel with Cor
nell during the time Evangelist Ben
nett was conducting services at his.
church. Cornell. he said objected 10
Benefits manner Of preaching, and
asked Swift to stop the meetings, and.
the. pastor refused. Swift was In
,elIned to be -evasive in his answers to.
the squestions put by District Attor-.
ney Temple. When asked what time
he arrived Nhdme on the night he wrore'
the letters, he replied: !.
g After church closed" u, Il
What time did 1t close ?" 4
i about an hour and a half after Il
began" Il ss.,3 X
what time did it begin ?" 81 4 ss.i
- About an hour and a half before It
closed" 4 I'M
AT this point Attorney Jones for the
defense SHARPLY admonished Swift to
answer Colonel Temples questions. "
RevA SIS. Lapham testified that he
received three letters from Swift with
the request that he copy them and
send one back to Swift, one. to the
mother Of Effie, Turner and one to
Mrs Cornell. All Of the letters, he
said, spoke Of: the intimacy between
Cornell and Miss Turner. The letters
were all to be sent anonymously and
to be mailed. on the train. The one
to Swift requested him to use his IN
fuence to break up the relations he
tween the two. Lapham refused to
have anything to do with the matter
and returned the letters to Swift,
he sent them to his broth
er-ir-laW in Colorado, who copied
them and mailed them as directed.
I. evangelist Bennett testified that he
often talked with Swift about the rela-
tions between Cornell and Miss Turner
and that Swift finally suggested the
scheme of writing anonymous, letters
for the purpose of ;wringing money!
from the banker. e.
The Rev. E. E. Bennett, pastor, OF
the 'Wiuterset Christian church, Leon
ard Williams, former elder OF the Rev.
Mr.. Swifts church, and DR.. Weir OF
all testified that Swift had
come TO them and showed them the
letter. Leonard sworel that he left the
church, because some OF the members |
were in favor Of keeping Swift for an
other year after his term expired
Swift's daughter. Miss Bessie Swift, |
vas the last witness examined yester-
lay afternoon. Her testimony. did not
lefense then called Mrs. Swift, wife of |
he defendant, but Assistant District
Attorney Stewart raised an objection.
which was sustained. The defense took |
mother exception. Before adjourning
.ourt until 9 O'clock this morning Judge
Mcpherson announced that the trial
must be finished today, even il night
,asSi0n IS neceS sary