The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-10-08
A CHURCH MEMBER TRIED
VETERAN METHODIST FOUND
GUILTY BY JURY.

UULI1 DI OOh1.
For "Slandering'' His Pastor in Max
ing q Statement in Reference to
Minutes and Collections.
The st. Matthews correspondent OF
The News and Courier says short
but spicy little trial occurred at
Wesley Chapel, M. E. Church, We'd
nesday morning. It is unusual for a
man to speak so disrespectfully OF
his church in general and his own
spiritual adviser in particular as to
make the matter sufficiently interest
ing to attract fair audience.
The Rev. G. w. Davis, Of Bowman,
S. c., acted as referee, Martin Mann,
Esq, was the attorney for the COM
mittee and the Methodist minister,
the Rev. j. H. Thacker, who is now
engaged in this circuit.
Mr.. Marvin Murphy, graduate OF
Clemson College, acted as secretary
and stenographer.
Mr.. John Vaughan, of Jamison,
was the defendant and conducted his
own case.
The following is the jist of the
specifications against the accused es
preferred by a committee composed
Of Messrs. T. W. Murphy, D. B..
Wolfe and w. w. Staley, to-wit:
First. That the said John Vaughan
has violated the general rule Of the
M. E. Church, South, by speaking in
slanderous terms of those ministers
who sell the minutes Of the annual
Conference to raise the assessment
laid on the charge for the publication
of said minutes.
Second. That the said John
Vaughn stated at Prospect Church in
February, 1908, in the presence OF
several parties, that the preachers
who sell the minutes and put the
money in their pockets, when there
was an assessment on the charge by
the annual Conference to pay for the
minutes, and that such was rascally
piece of business.
There were several witnesses for
the prosecution, who testified sub
stantially that Mr.. Vaughn had stat
ed that it was "rascally piece OF
business" for ministers to sell these
minutes.
The defendant offered no .testi-
mony, but made an impassioned and
aggressive speech to the jury. He
denied that it was slanderous to tell
the truth, and that If he had to lie
to remain member Of the Methodist
Church he would get out.
According to Mr.. Vaughn's own
statement, the ministers for eight or
ten years have been selling these
minutes and the injustice should be
stopped. .
Attorney Mann, Of the prosecu-
ton, made strong statement, from
the viewpoint of the law and Church,
and was caustic and plain in his
statements with reference to the de-
fendant's conduct.
Mr.. Mann's contention was that the
assessment for minutes is levied by
the district stewards, and that the
ministers violate no law by selling
the minutes. BY way Of Interrupt
ton the Rev. J. H. Thacker stated
that the money collected from the
minutes was turned over to the COM
mittee on minutes.
ue jury, SonSlSIAuS ~ tnSosAS'
W. Murphy, J. S. Stabler,, Herbert
Axan, Moody Goodwin and James
Zeigler, after hearing the arguments,
retired and, after mature delibera-
ton, brought in verdict Of guilty
on every count in the indictment.
Unless the defendant, Mr. Vaughn.
recants, which is not likely, he will
be expelled from the Church. He
is an old Methodist veteran, who has
not only taken great interest in the
Church for many years, but made no
"bones" of his public advocacy of
the good old-time religion. This fact
makes his spiritual jar all the more
| unfortunate.
The Church should speedily settle
| whether the presiding elders have
a right to demand payment for these
minutes and at the same time levy
an assessment for their publication.
This correspondent, an unpreten-
tious and unworthy Methodist him
self, does not believe the Rev. ]. H.
Thacker or his fellow ministers have
been guilty of any dishonorable con-
| duct; but no further room should be
left for any doubt about what IS
right and reasonable in the premises.
Mr.. Frank Dukes, Of Orangeburg,
who formerly lived in Bamberg and
has many friends here, was married
in Atlanta, Ca, last week to Miss
Lucille Lynch, of that city.
The Clansman at Blackville.
On account of the burning of Folk s
opera house in this city Tuesday