The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-12-02
LET HIM TAKE IT"
SAYS One TRUSTEE
Congregation May Not Defend Suit
at January Term of Court-Mr. Ia
tum Tells a Story of Many Trou-
bes.

w. S. F. Tatum, sole proprietor of
the Tatum Lumber company, one of
Hattiesburg's wealthiest citizens, and
for the past five years chairman of
the building committee of the Main
Street Methodist church, may become
the sole owner of one of the prettiest
Methodist churches in the state, now
practically complete and ready for oc-
cupancy The church is said to have
cost in the neighborhood of $4,000.
Through his attorney w. S. Travis,
Mr.. Tatum, on yesterday filed in the
Circuit Court, suit for 300 against
the trustees of the church, alleging
that under the terms of certain bond
or writing that the trustees having
failed to meet payment of $4,000 due
on Nov. 10, and two payments of in
terest the sum of $4,000, advanced
and loaned by him to the church has
become due and payable. The suit is
returnable at the January term of the
Circuit Court which convenes on Jan.
8. Service was made yesterday on
the following trustees as shown by
the papers in the case: J. s. Turner,
C. w. Bufkin, w. E. Laird, T. ]. Pitt
man, Thomas NJ. Ferguson, R. R. Swift.
tenberg, S. l.. Heidelberg and w. o.
Tatum, a son of the plaintiff in the
suit
Feel They Were Trapped.
{ While none of the trustees cared ia
. be quoted this morning when asked
f for the. church side of the contro
5 versy, yet there was feeling on the
I part of several that Mr.. Tatum had
! acted hastily and had forced the
9 church into a very embarrassing posi-
= ton by filing the suit on the eve o.
: the meeting of the annual conference
4 which will assemble in Main Stree
church on next Wednesday. Others
while not saying anything for publica
! ton. expressed considerable feeling II
!. the matter and were unit for letting
o Mr.. Tatum take Judgment for thu
. church, while the congregation shoult
go ahead and build church else
a where.
n Can Take All Of Property.
v Under the provisions of the suit no
q only is the new church involved, bu
Il all of the property of the congregation
is tied up, including the old church
valued at $4,000 and the parsonage a
$4,000. For this reason, it may b
necessary for the trustees to answe
the suit to save the old church an
e. parsonage.
The suit will, however, in no wist
prevent the holding of the conferenc
?: next week in the church, as H. \
Moody, of New Orleans, who is in tn
N city today and who has the heatin
r contract, said this morning that b
le Monday the heating plant would b
ready for use. Mr.. Tatum had gut
ranteed his contract and he is lookin
to Mr. Tatum for payment.
E. Had Paid $4,000.
Statements made by several of tn
members of the congregation tn
70 morning coincided with those of M
as Tatum thrt the members had paid
Id between $4,000 and $4,000 toward
er the cost of the new church. Mr.. T
lie tum at noon today. said he and h
or wife had contributed in the neighbo
hood of $4,025, besides various sma
amounts. The mortgage was fil'
Aug, 7, 1909, the first payment of s.
900 falling due on Nov. 1, 1910. II
On first and second interest payments ft
due on May 10 and Nov. 10 and accor
ing to the suit, were not paid
nd Left Them in The Air.
"a While Mr.. Tatum insists that he h
of complied with all of his agreemsn
m and that there were conditions to tN
CONTINUED on page four)