Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1908-08-11
INQUIRE INTO
SHIPMAN CASE
District Superintendent 5. M.
Morgan Appoints a Com
mittee to Investigate
CAREW SUES FOR DIVORCE

DOVER, Del. Aug. u-Prompt ac-
ton was taken yesterday in the case
OF the Rev. Stephen p. Shipman. pastor
of Hurlock. Nd. Methodist Episcopal
Church. victim Of an assault at the
hands of Thomas Carew. Of that place.
The Rev. S. NJ Morgan. district super
intendent, went to Seaford and sum-
moned a preliminary court OF inquiry
which will inquire into the case Of Mr..
Shipman. II It is found that there is
evidence to warrant IL. a second court
win be summoned under the terms Of
the Methodist law and trial viii fol-
low. II no such evidence develops the
report Of the preliminary board viii be
sealed until the next session OF the
Wilmington Conference. Of which the
accused is a member
The members Of the preliminary court
are The Rev. t. r. vanDyke, Of
Deals Island: the Rev. w. E. Gunby
Of Princess Anne. and the Rev. Adam
stengle. senior district sperintendent of
the conference. The Rev. Mr.. Morgan.
who named thee Examiners, is also. ex-
ofiicio, a member of the court. Sessions
will continue for several days and an
effort will be made to have the preacher
and his assailant face each other at a
secret session. Only prima facie evil
/ dence win be considered by the court.
HURLoCK. Nd. Aug 11-Naming
the Rev. p. Shipman, pastor Of the M.
r. Church of Hurlock as correspond
I ent. Thomas Carew. through his at
torneys, fled in the Circuit Court OF
/ Somerset county yesterday a petition
/ for an absolute divorce from his wife,
Lena Virginia Capew.
Proceedings are brought on statutory
| grounds and are the result of Carew
/ finding his wife and the clergyman to-
gether in a bedroom Of his home last
/ Tuesday night, when he drove the min
! lister from the house, after he had given
him a sound thrashing.
This action followed quickly the
statement from Mr. Shipman, in which
he declared his innocence Of wrong
doing, and charged that Mrs. Carew
| had entered his room without his
solicitation, and refused to leave when
he commanded that she do so.
At the same time preacher an
nounced that he had engaged counsel
to prosecute Carew for having assault
ed him. and he SAYS he believes by so
doing he viii be able to clear his name.
Meanwhile Mrs. Carev. the one re-
naming principal in the case, main
tains an almost sphynx-like silence,
broken only for an instant.
Yesterday when she was told Of the
allegations made against her by Mr.
Shipman, shee reclaimed; His state
ment is untrue"
Further than shis she declined to talk
even when told that her husband had
begun action for a divorce. and that
in his suit he would seek the custody OF
their s-year-old daughter Beatrice.
'I must not talk" she said. Il an
afraid to. Besides. I have been al
vised not TO make a statement"
This information she volunteered
from her place of concealment behind
q door, which her mother held slight
ly open.
mo" said Mrs. Todd, the yonug wo-
mans mother, my daughter will moi
talk. It makes no difference 10 us
what Mr. carew or Mr. shipman may
say. But when Mr.. Shipman says
that Mrs. Carew tempted him, he says
something that is not true.