Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-02
WIDOW DECLARES
DEACON DENOUNCED
HER AT ALTAR

Mrs. Wiedy Heide, a widow of Oak
grove district has filed bill for $4,000
in the city court against W. II. Mitchell,
deacon in the Sandy Springs church,
who she alleges, publicly denounced her
as she was joining the church and stood
before the pulpit with the pastor, and ac-
cused her of having stolen the grave in
which her husband was buried.
The suit Is the first outward rumbling
of an internal storm that is said to be
holding sway at the Sandy Springs
church as a result of the deacon's action.
Mrs Heide says that Sunday, January
H. in response to a general invitation
from the pastor, she went to the front
Oh the pulpit, where he had stationed him
self. and was received by him with out
stretched hand. After welcoming her. he
turned TO the congregation, announced
that she wished membership in the
church, and desired the members to ex-
tend to her the right hand of fellowship.
Whereupon, she alleges, that the de-
PENDANT a deacon in the church, got up
from his seat and publicly declared:
Il object to her becoming a member of
our church because she has trespassed on
the churcls property by burying her hus-
band in the church cemetery She stole
the lot that she buried her husband on,
and now she is seeking membership in
the church 90 get to keep her husband
buried in our church cemetery"
She says:
Not content with his slanderous de-
nunciation, he stirred up such strife and
dissension that the plaintiff was compell-
ed to move her husband and carry him to
Mr.. Perrin cemetery, three miles distant,
where she had to renter him at an eX-
pense of $16."
A faction of the church which is said
to deplore the deacon's action is said to
have induced Mrs. Heide to file the bill
and is furnishing her, every support The
rest of the church is said to be aligned
with the deacon.
Recently Mrs. Heide moved to Oak
grove, and her husband dying shortly
after her change of residence, she buried
him in the cemetery of the Sandy Springs
church. She had instantly made friends
after her arrival, it is said, and the sug-
gestion was put forward that she join
the Sandy Springs church, Sunday jan
uary II, she determined to do So
AS his custom is, the pastor, the Rev.
Num-, at the conclusion of his sermon,
extended an invitation to any who wished
to do so to join the church. Mrs. Heide
was responding to this invitation when,
she alleges, she was publicly accused of
having stolen grave for her husband
by the defendant, W. H. Mitchell.
Says Charges Are False
She alleges that such allegations are
false that the cemetery of the Sandy
Springs church is public burying place.
and that she had a perfect right to make
use of it.
By reason of the alleged SANDER, she
contends that she has been damaged to
the extent of $4,000. She says that the
defendants statements have caused ii
to seem that she is guilty of the crime
and misconduct imputed to, her, have
caused many of her friends to withdraw
their confidence from her and to refuse
to have any further acquaintance, trans
action, or discourse with her, and have
caused her much inconvenience and in
jury. rs ff-.tss-. .....-... 100. ...-sr
Oakgrove district is about fourteen or
fifteen miles north of Atlanta. The bill
is filled through attorney j. A. Boykin.