Evening star., 1911-08-09
L VALUE I'm :WOME.N'S

sided over by DR.. Knott until he was ex-
PEELED from the ministry and the church
last week by the ecclesiastical court in
Washington.
for years over the sensational charge
which resulted in the dismissal Of DR..
Knott and feeling Is bitter. especially
among the congregation OF the church,
against DR.. Prettyman, who Is held re-
sponsible by many Warrentonians for the
unwelcome manner In which the town
has been brought into the limelight.
DR.. Knott, when seen here last night.
declared in words full of suppressed Bit
terness that DIR. Prettyman had pre1u-
verdict of the entire. ofdcial body OF the
Warrenton church, which believes in the
innocence Of the pastor.
Will Be Acquitted, He Believes.
IT feel confident said DR.. Knott. that
II justice Is done the verdict Of the &c.
clesiastical court will be reversed by the
board Of appeals Of the conference. Just
when that board will meet I am unable
to say"
When questioned concerning the trial
which was before a body OF thirteen
ministers. presided over by Bishop Col
Inns Denny as judge, DR.. Knott was caus-
tic in his criticism.
The charge, which brought in. the. name
OF a young woman well known here. was
sustained by the court upon evidence
which DR.. Knott characterized as not
only unfounded but as absolutely dis
proved as far as its essentials were con.
cerned 1.-The prosecution and the gen.
eral situation were pyejudicial to my In.
terest," he declared emphatically; then
added, "and Dr. Prettyman practically
Before the Official trial was ordered a
committee Of fifteen officials Of our
church here met Dr., Prettyman and
went over the entire case with him.
This same committee later went to
Washington and appeared before the
board of investigation. consisting Of Revs
j. H. Wells and r.. l.. Fultz OF Washing
ton and H. NJ. Canter Of Alexandria The
committee included three prominent law.
yers. and those. knowing the nature of
the evidence, expected that the case would
end then. but the trial was ordered in
spite OF them"
Congregation to Sell Church.
The feature OF the situation is that the
congregation Of the church has taken
steps, through the trustees to dispose Of
the entire church property. worth more
than $4,000 rather than remain under
the authority OF DR.. Prettyman. This
property. including both church and par
sonage, is still In process OF construction.
1t is subject to several liens. but these.
the members Of the congregation declare.
would have been met had not their pastor
been dismissed. Now. however. they say
that they will face the practical GER
tainty OF the dissolution Of the church
rather than remain under the present
system.
DR.. Prettyman was here Monday to
conduct the regular quarterly conference.
when he was served with q court process
notifying him that suit had been brought
against him by the deposed pastor for al
legged defamation Of DR.. Knotts charac-
ter. This action. according to the state
ment Of DR.. Knott's attorney. Is fnde-
pendent OF the recent trial in Washing
ton and Is based upon remarks reported
to have been made by DR.. Prettyman
while hero previous to the trial. While
DIR. Knott did not originate the civil &C.
ton against Dr.. Prettymans he declared