The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-01-05
BIG CHURCH ROW IN TAMPA
The Preacher is Dragged From His
Pulpit and Nearly Stripped of His
Clothing BY Irate Sisters-The
Contribution Gets Lost in
the ScuffIe

| Cuffed by women, members Of his
flock, as he was fleeing from his pull
pit, Rev. R. L. Kirkland, pastor of the
First Congregational church, suffered
yesterday at the hands of an infuriat-
ed congregation whom he had just
preached to from the text: 1T is writ
ten my house is a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of
| thieves
He applied the text directly to his
own church, saying that certain mem
bers of his congregation were guilty
of grating" Accordingly, at the
conclusion of his sermon, he moved
to suspend Rev. Franklin M. Sprague,
the former pastor, for six months
pending good conduct"
Led by Miss Cora Sprague, Rev,
Sprague's daughter, several women
advanced with clenched fists to the
pulpit and held up the pastor as he
attempted to flee into his study in the
rear of the building. They pelted
him with bejeweled fists.
BY this time Windy" Russell step
ping between the pastor and incensed
women, exclaimed: Don't fight in
here; this is the church" No sooner
had the words fallen from his lips
than his waistcoat was torn. Becom-
ing incensed himself, Russell entered
the mix-up.
Detectives York and Woodward,
who went to the church to restore or
| der, summoned six to appear before
Judge Drumright in police court They
were Rev. R. l.. Kirkland, the pastor;
George Mickler and wife and her son,
Charlie Hamilton, Harry Russell, 9th
erwise known as Windy" and Miss
| Cora Sprague.
Pastors Version
In a written statement handed the
| Tribune, Rev Kirkland said: Rev F.
M. Sprague was suspended from mem
bership for six months after having
been pastor for ten years.
"a church riot follows in which DR.
Kirkland was pounded in the face by
Mrs. George Mickler. w. l.. Murrell
entered as Prince of Peace.
Yesterday morning, following the
sermon, note was handed DR.. Kirk
land by George Mickler, calling for an
immediate meeting of the church, aft
er the benediction.
Rev Kirkland had previously
pleaded with the members not to have
any business meeting at the morning
service, but to wait until the annual
meeting, Monday night, January 8, to
settle all matters of business.
Rev. Franklin F. Sprague insisted
upon an immediate row. So the meet
ing was called with w. L. Murrell as
! chairman. On motion of Rev. Kirk
land, Rev. and Mrs. Sprague were sus-
pended from the church for six
months, pending good conduct. The
motion was carried almost unani-
mously-a large crowd being present
Meeting was adjourned. AS Rev.
Kirkland attempted to retire to his
study he was pursued by Miss Cora
Sprague, daughter of Rev. Sprague,
who pelted him at every step in the
alley way. The pastor retreated back
to the tail end of his study, followed
by Mrs. George Mickler, George Mick
Ter and Charlie Hamilton. Mrs. Mick
Ter pelted the pastor over the face,
George Mickler and Charlie Hamilton
striving to massacre the pastor.
About this time cry from the pastor
for help was heard and Mr.. Russell,
the well known carpenter and con-
tractor, entered, pleading in vain for
peace. Miss Sprague and Mrs. Mick
Ter proceeded to strip him of what
clothes he had and tore his vest and
shirt into a riddle. George Mickler
and the women proceeded to beat up
Mr.. Russell, but the latter, suddenly
remembering the law of self-defense,
proceeded to control Mr.. Mickler by
giving him the benefit of his fists"
Where Did the Church Money Go?
Touching upon the financial status
of the church, Rev. Kirkland goes on
to review that several members, since
the establishment of the church and
its rich endowment by a wealthy
member, now deceased, have grown
rich.
Other charges contained in the
statement accuse a member of "em-
bezzling'' s41.50 from young man of
unsOund mind
The communication winds up by
saying that Rev. Sprague and family
cannot re-enter their names on the
church roll. For, Rev Kirkland adds:
| The fight is to determine whether
! Sprague shall own the church. or