New-York tribune., 1908-08-06
DENHAM CAST OUT
Official Board of His Church Finally
ErpeLs Him

The Rev. DR. BENJAMIN Q. Denham no longer mas
even the Official confidence of the First Church OF
the Disciples of Christ, In West ssth street The
confidence of his friends survived his arrest and
arraisnment in a police court a charge fnvolv-
ing his personal honor; It survived his Night 10
Florida where he managed an orange grove Tor
one of his former woman parishioners. and IL even
survived the tales OF his relations with Emma K
Hall.
But when the ioint board of the church, consist
ing Of the elders. deacons and trustees. saw the
report Of the detectives who have followed him and
Mrs. Hall, and even photographs OF the pair
together. they had to decide last night that MI
Denham not to be connected in any way with
their church again, and the congregation of the
Missouri church. where he is now preaching was
warned OF his character and actions
Francis NJ. Applegate. who has fought valiantly
for Denharn since the first charges were made
against him, three years ago, by Mrs Elizabeth B.
Grannis himself introduced tire resolution which
eventually will expel him from the church. This
was done at a special meeting of the joint board
precfpitated by Mr. Denham being named as CO.
respondent in the suit for divorce by Z" Bartol
Hail. jr-, against his wife with whom Denham
travelled months before he rejoined his wife IN
Missouri
Although the adoption of the resolution which
practically expels Mr. Denham from the Disciples
of Christ Church adopted unanimously there
a good deal of discussion before Its adopuon-
J. H. Banton, ore of the staunchest supporters OF
the detective who followed the clergyman and MIS-
Hall for weeks. He had also copies OF photo
graphs of the pair together, and there was also
evidence tending show the clergynan's duphc1ty
in many other ways
While he was travelling about with Mrs Hall
he had all his mail sent to town in Iowa ana
when talk became common about their relations
the clergyman said that he had been IN tnls Io"d
town all the time and not in the places Wnere ne
vas reported TO be by the newspapers. The un-
to explain it away by saying that II had been
done simply play joke on some OF his fr1ends.
Even some of his stanchest supporters in the
church baked at this explanation, and so iast
resolution:
1 II f op5 s SeR 4orR cali Of
this church in unsatisfactory and unexplained
where's On his leaving here he stated ass that he
whereas AS he has been named as a Co
respondent in the divorce suit brought by E.
P4ee BsTTeT cda4t aa ia assnsa Sasaad GonntF and
es re the ne ehurcb mns 0esn M Ps a Mo-
Resolved. That the joint board Eeconmends to
recall Of credentials in this respect to said Den
ham until said divorce matter is satisfactoriiiy
sion OF sTh aG ct on he FIT FIT N Mo- and ouT
churches through the proper channels OF our
brotherhood
About three years ago when Mr. Denham first
left the church under cloud a silver loving cup
was presented to him. Then he became overseer
for an orange plantation Jacksonville for
woman parishfoner. While there he met Mrs.
Hall. About the time last April when he was re
called the church by packed meeting at which
great excitement reigned. he arranging to
come North with Mrs Hail. her father having dis,
covered their relations, but suddenly disappeared
into the West He accepted the cali. the
congregation thought and preached at the church
May and 9.
Then he told Mr.. Pearce, with whom he had
been staying. that he would never enter another
pulpit. and going West He left the home
which had sheltered him for weeks on half an
hours notice and went West to Join Mrs. Hall.
Their subsequent travels, in which Denham some
times preached, with Mrs. Hall of the
audience have been fully traced by detectives up
TO the point few weeks ago, when he rejoined
has wife IN the Missouri town where he now Is
This town. Pleasant HILL is the oldttrne resort of
the Jesse James gang.
The Hall divorce suit probably will be held before
referee. Charles NJ Weeks. of No. 2lb Montague
street, Brooklyn. fled the papers week ago.
These papers, however IL said by court
clerk, merely application 20 take testt-
rnony, but the evidence lent by the complainant
last night the chuych authorities shows that
the action has progressed beyond that point All
the court officials at Mneola made great efforts
yesterday not to reveal the least thing about the
suit
E Bartol Hall. jr. is the son of one of the
wealthiest residents Of the Red Spring Colony at
married to Miss Mabel Kirk. who then very
them in Florida Denham has an almost hypnotic
fascination for women to which Is ascribed his
influence Mrs Hall and the WILLINGNESS OF
his wife take him back despite the stories cur
rent Of his actions.