Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-21
'GUN PLAY IN CHURCH
CoIored Congregation Involved
in fractional Strife.
POLICE STOP THE SHOOTING
Trouble Over the Choice of Pastor
by the Vermont Avenue
Baptists.

!
| eighth precinct police station. this
morning resulted in the arrest of five
+, members Of the Vermont Avenue Col
ored Baptist Church, who engaged in
| a row, an outcome of the fact that
two factions have sprung into active ex-
| istence since the death Of the former
pastor. Rev. George W. Lee, January
| 8, 1910.
John Bias. the janitor of the church,
| and Robert l.. Porter, 14O3 ! st street are
| said by the police to have precipitated
| the riot with volley of revolver shots
aimed at each other. The specific charges
| against them in the Police Court today
were carrying concealed weapons and dis
| orderly conduct. They are out on 500
bonds Others gathered in by the police
during the rumpus are Joseph s. Burke,
22249 9th street northwest; Mary Slider
1909 l. street, and Lane Daw, 14U3 T
street northwest.
The trouble started some time after the
close Of perfectly peaceful prayer meet
ing held In the church last night. The
two factions are known as the Willis
supporters and the Taylor friends. After
Rev. George w. Lee died the deacons
OF the church selected James h. Willis
of Standardsviiie, Va, and Rev. William
Iaylor or Newport News Va, as two
Candidates Tor the pulpit, the decision to
DE made by vote or the congregation.
Rev. James r.. w Inns received the larger
number OIL votes, il Is Claimed by the VIA
lis faction. out, not satisfied with the re-
suit Oh the election, the Taylor branch en-
deaVored TO secure possession of the
church and have their candidate installed.
Courts Decide for Willis.
The matter made a stir in colored
church circles, and there was no way out
OF the dlfnculty except to take the entire
matter to court, where Justice Anderson
DECIDED that Mr.. Willis had been properly
elected pastor. The Iaylor iactlon neid d
meetihs, Taylor was elected, and the mat
Ter again Went to court, ana on me sec
ono Presentation Justice Goum ueclued
exactly as justice Anderson diu, that
" ILLS nad been rIghtIuiiy placed in the
pulpit.
Ever since. then there has been trou-
pie IN the air. The Janltor, bias, told
capt Doyfe at the station house TINS
morning mat SeveraI members OF the
congregation have been carrying re-
EolVers anu razOrS TO church anu that
he himself carried a gun because he
believed that a Janltor of church
ought TO have some protection, espe-
claily with such spirit In the congre-
cation.
The regular Tuesday night prayer meet
1nS vas neid laSt nient, with Pastor W IL
lis officiating. 1t presented a calm and
unruff1ed front. and the congregation
went home shortly after 10 o'clock. After
the prayer meeting the deacons got to-
sether to discuss a proposition to nave a
photograph of Rev. Mr.. Willis enlarged
and hung upon the walls of the church.
Objections by Taylorites.
That was too much for tho ToyIor foo
ton. The janitor says that the bitterest
decided that no picture of Willis should
adorn those walls. However, the meeting
of the deacons proceeded quietly and the
church was left in darkness shortly after
II o'clock.
| Nothing more was heard from the
church until about $3.50 o'clock this morn
ing. when Policeman Ault of the eighth
precinct heard a terrific noise on the in
side.
He thought it odd that a prayer meet
| ing should keep up until so late an hour
with so much noise, so he investigated
and warned crowd he found inside to
| make less disturbance. They quieted
down until about O'clock this morning.
| About that time Janitor Bias received a
| the church. who lives at 221O 10th street.
She said:
What are you doing at home? You
ought to be around in the church. They're
breaking things up around there"
Bias smelled trouble. He jumped up,
put on a thin coat, tucked revolver
in his pocket and ran for the house Of
worship. When he got there he found
the front door nailed up he said. He
tried the rear gate, and forced it open.
Tries to Bar His Passage.
Bias told the police this morning that
Robert Porter tried to keep him out.
You can't come in,'' Porter is alleged
to have said.
I'm janitor of this church and I'm
going in" said Bias. The latter then
tried to force his way in. The shots
began to fly about that time. Bias says
Porter fired the first shot, and that he
returned the courtesy
Neither of the men were struck by any
bullets.
The church haG several people In it,
and they all joined in the rumpus, it is
stated. At any rate, chairs were over
turned and broken, pews upset and doors
battered. A squad of police responded to
the hurry call sent In to the eighth police
precinct station, and just as Bias accord
ing to his own statement was about to
| shoot again at Porter, the bluecoats grab
bed him.
The policemen were Holmes, Ault. Hall
and Simms. They arrested five of the
disturbers. and both factions are round
ing up their forces for the hearing i'm the
Police Court next Wednesday.