The Washington herald., 1911-09-08
.HUNN|CUTT SAYS
HE'S A MINISTER
!. WITHOUT CHURCH
: Marrying ParsOn" Declares
He Is Ordained.
USED TO BE EXHORTER

G. J. S. Hunnicutt, of 338 Indiana
avenue, known as the marrying par
son." called yesterday afternoon at the
City Hall and protested to R. B. Belew,
the clerk in charge of the marriage
license register, that he (Hunnieutt) is
of good family and that he is also
a duly ordained minister of the Gospel,
notwithstanding the allegations of others
to the contrary. Hunnicutt exhibited to
Mr.. Belew, who has been most active
in the past in his efforts to run down
the "capper" system in vogue with GER
tain parsons, two papers which he
claimed proved him to be minister
of the Gospel in good standing.
ORDAINED AS EXHORTER.
One Of these papers which Hunnicutt
! claims constitute him a minister is a
! certificate issued by the fourth quarter
dated January II, 1902 and signed by Rev.
John w. R. Sumwalt. president. and pur-
porting to be a renewal OF a license au-
thorizing Hunnicutt to act as an "ex-
horter."
Because he was known as 'disor-
ganizer," using his own words, and be-
cause he had difficulties with Rev. Mr..
Sumwalt, Hunnicutt surrendered his IL
cense as an exhorter in the Methodist
Church. severing his connection with that
church in 1909.
The other paper exhibited by Hunnicutt
to Mr.. Belew was an alleged GER
tificate OF ordination as minister
from the Peoples Church Of this
city. bearing date OF January IA.
1909. signed by Theodore Valiant, George
Lauterbach. and c. NJ Brown. clerk.
This paper says the Peoples Church has
it's headquarters at 643 Louisiana avenue
northwest. 1t also bears at the top the
legend that the Peoples Church was in
the incorporation OF the Peoples Church
Court in November. 1909 Examination
OF the Incorporation docket in the office
of the register OF deeds does not show
the Incorporation OF the Peoples Church
at the time claimed by Hunnicutt. In
fact. the docket as far back as 1904 does
not show that the church was ever incor-
porated.
There is an entry in the docket
showing that at a regular business
meeting, of the church. held Novem-
Der a. 1909. at 643 Louisiana avenue,
G. J. s. Hunnicutt was elected pastor
by George Lauterbach. Nils 2. Nelson.
Theodore Valiant. ]. H. Barnes. and
w. withrow.
Church Closes Doors.
Being asked whether the Peoples
Church still held forth at 643 Louisiana
avenue, Hunnicutt said the place was
closed; that he could not get a cohgre-
cation to keep 1t open; that IT had been
closed for some time. but that he could
open II up whenever he wished. He
said he had a congregation of about a
dozen people who met at ia H street
southwest.
Shortly before closing time yesterday
a young couple from Richmond applied
for a license at the City Hall In reply
to the question as to what minister had
been selected to perform the ceremony,
the young man produced Hunnicutt's
business card, and said it had been given
to him by a taXicab chauffeur at the
Union Station.
Hunnicutt denied point-blank giving
cards to anybody or soliciting trade"
He said hack drivers, conductors. chauf-
feurs, and other people came into his
office and helped themselves to these
cards. Hunnicutt said he employed a
woman clerk in his office who attended
to the cards, but admitted that she was
acting under his instructions.