The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-02
WILLIAMS PLEADS
FOR VIHDICATIlN
Aged Minister Promised Re-
opening of Case by
Laymen.
WILL GIVE FACTS
TO NEW BISHOP
Full Story Not Told to Public at
Masonic Hall Meeting.
Court Assaiied.

Court Assailed.
His face furrOwed by ten years
silent suffering, his voice choking
with emotion and agonized protes-
tatiOn OF his innocence, his aging
form clad in the clerical raiment
torn, fguratively speaking, from
him a decade ago; guarded by po-
lice and surrounded by friends and
disbelievers, the Rev. Gilbert Fear
ing Williams, deDosed rector Of
Christ Episcopal Church, stood in
public meeting at Masonic Ten
pie this morning pToclaiming the
day Of his vindication near and
berating the eccIesiastic court that
condemned and evicted him for an
alleged act Of immortality.
.Iust few blocks away, in her
hOl -, caressed by the same mother
hand that has been her stay during
the ten years Of comparative Sc
clusiOn-her endeavors to live It
down, her hopes dashed TO the
ground by its unlooked-for resur-
rection-sat the woman IN the case.
Did Not Mention Her Name.
TIE minister did not mention her
name. Il shall not go into the syecia,
/ sadness OF this case he said faIter-
insiy as he opened this morning his
initial plea for a reopenlnz OF the case,
for a reawakeuIng OF public sentiment
/ and for viudlcati0n OF his name. In
stead, he gazed over the several hun
d1ed eXPectanr faces OF those who had
come 20 attend the s-rauEest gathering
10 lle history OF the city. and dtsau-
pointed the nor5ldiy curious when ne
announced that ne would refer buc
briefly 20 the episode that had Wrecked
( his Life
'- want viRd-catlon." ~ aid 5-ars4i-
caliy, but have been persuaded TO
l lay the matter before The new bishop
mrs before publicly going iEtO the de-
Brothers Attend Meeting.
With his gaze hxedly set on the min.
/ lister, the eldest brother Of the woman
/ who accused kim sat in the back Of the
/ hall, intent and drawn IN his chair. one
I on either side OF him sat two head
I quarters detectiyes-twO OF the biggest
/ and mos powerful men on the force
/ Cornweu and BaUr- They endeaFored
! 10 engage him tn conversation, but he
sat ever intent and LlOtiOnless- Before
Mr- Williams began talking, and when
/ he had finished, the brother talked 10
them freely Pointed questions he ig-
nOred and when the subject OF the
meeting was brought up he was silent
Shortly after NJ. Williams began talk
ing. a second brother, a younger one,
came In. be. too, Sdt in the back OF the
tried 20 look disiuterested. or rather not
overtnterested- HIS gaze was never
ed with every Eber OF his body strained
10 catch the word Near him also yFe-a
/ the guardians OF the law, but their pres
euce was not needed
After Mr.. Williams had finished his
story. the younger one said that he had
come. because IL was his duty He said
he never intended harmiDg the little
man. who was making such earnest
endeavor 10 cleanse his name of the
stigma placed upon IL BY the findings
Of the court that tried him, and the sC-
ton OF his bishop
Feared Gossip Of Eeighbors.
Had I not come" said the youneer
brother. those who have steadfastly
I gossiped and made III Of everything
would have commented on. and said
[ the Lord knows what all They would
/ declare that none CT our family could
1 face the man who was endeavoring 10
! break the word Of our sister"
CAPTAIN Williams. Of the First pre-
cinct. was in the hail with a detail
I Of six men They had nothing 70 do,
however There was 10 need Tor q
guard 20 maintain order There was
no demonstration and no un-oward in
Cident- The crowd. q small one FOR
I the han. perhaps thlee hundred pe0-
attended any meeting and 20 all ap-
pearances a police detail was super
huoUs-
I eraI persons in the back Of the han
/ rose and asked that he speak louder on
! account OF the noise in the street Many
more requested that he take his posi-
ton on the platform He expressed a
preference for the floor. however. and
those who were out of earshot. by com
mon consent. brought their chairs for
ward. and formed solid semicircIe
around the speaker
In the hall were many of his old
friends who have known him al his
life and who have stood steadfaStiy
by him through everything Many cler-
gymen. prominent IN this city, and the
diocese OF Maryland attended. They
listened inteutly- and with evident ap-
/ prOvaI 70 Mr. Williams recital Of his
lie work. the good deeds that have al
ways characterized him. and the vile
circumstances and the bitter persecution
that he has suffered
Discusses Court Only.
Mr.. Williams did not mention the
name OF the gitL Neither did he men
ton the circumstances of the act with
which he was charged Instead he con
fined his protest strictly to the action
OF the court. auC - he alleged miscOn-
duct Of his case. by those who were
violently prejudit 7d against him
Many types Of women were repre-
sented IN the hall as many and varied
as the men NeighbOrs OF the uufortu-
nate girl. who came out Of idle curiCs-
irv members Of the congregation OF
the de0Cs sed minister's church. women
whom had befriended I'm his long
life as a minister Of the gospel aud
those who had bee>- ever faithful
Mrs Williams the wife OF the ac-
cused man. who has stuck close bv the
side Of her accused husband. believing
! implicitly in his honor. and crying out
, lContinued on Fourth PagelA