The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-21
Old Friends Don't Speak as
They Pass By.
BANKERS WIFE TOLD TALL
Now Cashier Is Seeking New
Place to Work.
Stories of Undue Familiarity
With "SiSters" Blamed.

South Haven, Kan, Jan. 21.-A pick
ak and crowbar couldn't have done a
more effective job of splitting this town
wide open than has been done the last
twenty-one months by the town church
row. The fuss just now is comparative
ly quiet after the hanging in effigy jan
uary of minister.
AS result of the row South Haven
now has one less bank cashier, one
more church, 1000 municipal electric
light plant, a divided constituency, and
is full of wrath and argument. The
browning clubs, the sewing circles and
other intellectual and social organiza-
lions have given over all other business
to discussions of the town debate. Bust
ness matters and the necessities of life
have become secondary matters until
South Haven gets through talking
about which side is in the right. Tt
has even gone farther than South
Haven. The church district superintend-
ent at Winfield, Kan, who tried to
oil the troubled waters, incurred the
displeasure of both factions
Enter the Red-Haired Preacher.
A year ago last April there came to
this quiet hamlet of about five hundred
souls a red-haired square-Jaw minis
ter. Soon after the advent of the min
lister the fur began to revolve in con-
centric circles and has been continuing
in that direction ever since. The
preacher is a Texan, SO years old, a
graduate of Vanderbilt University, and
later a resident of Kentucky. He gives
the impression of an Andrew Jackson
turned evangelist. Perhaps that ac-
counts for what followed his arrival
After the preacher had taken stock of
his flock he began to talk. He spoke
with feverish intensity. He quoted at
length from the Bible, and when he got
through it began to look as If he meant
it. He eXhorted some of his members
to reform, and intimated that they
either do that or get a different brand
of religion. The men addressed did
neither.
Preacher Mixes With SISTER
One day in July at meeting of a few
of the leading wives of the congregation
one of them made remarks. Another
not to be outdone, followed suit, and so
on, until the whole legendary cat was
out of the bag. With the facility of
rural systems of wireless, the news
quickly spread that the minister had
been trifling with the affections of some
of the sisters.
In the meantime, South Haven, pro-
gressive municipality that its three
brick store buildings show it to be,
voted $1,000 for a municipal electric
light plant Several retired farmers OPP
posed the move of the administration
on the grounds of extravaganza. They
took sides with the pastor in the
trouble that followed, being opposed by
the mayor and other city officials.
The preacher demanded a church
ministers from the local field, presided
over by the district superintendent. The
prosecution was aided by a justice of
the peace and by an attorney from
Wellington, Kan, a former member of
the legislature. The trial lasted three
days. Nobody went to bed in that
time and everybody who voted against
electric lights had to put them in any
way in order to light the house to
await the latest trial returns. Business
ceased Friends quit speaking to each
other, and some former enemies became
fast bound together by their agreement
on the vexing question.
Women Tell of Stories.
Tht wife Of a local bank official and
several farmers daughters testified in
the case Much of the testimony was
rejected. In the end the minister was
exonerated and cleared. Friends of the
pastor characterized the affair as a
''frameup."
But some of the citizens whose good
faith and religious scruples had been
assailed by the preacher weren't salts
fed. They said the trial had been I'M
fair and the jury prejudiced. They
said with emphasis that the district
SUPERINTENDENT
ness. The superintendent was asked by
the preachers side of the controversy
to kick the opposition out of the
church. The superintendent didn't
know Just what to do, so he did not
do anything.
About so per cent of the wealth of
the church, 65 people out of $50, walked
out and held a meeting. The preacher
attended and was elected to lead them.
The new organization looked over the
different creeds, and decided on one
that appeared good to them. Now they
have decided to build $4,000 brick
church.
Bankers Wife TalkS-JOb Gone.
The matter had outgrown it's origf-
nal bounds and everyone in town had
TO take sides in it. The Boy Scouts
and the Campfire Girls, organized by
the accused preacher, went on the
rocks A bank official, whose wife had
testified against the minister, was re-
moved by the owners of the bank in
wellington to another town. The new
congregation was using another church
building, and after that some of the
members wouldn't enter it's portals.
Some of the members of still another
church even raised a FUSS when the
minister wanted to preach a funeral
sermon in their church
Along in December another young
woman, who had forgotten until then
to say anything about it, said some
more things about the minister. This
started the music again. The night of
January 2 the effigy of the minister
was hanged in tht main street of the
village.
So now one half of the town won't
speak to the other half. Meanwhile
the minister stays. He says they will
either have to let him go out as a re-
spected citizen or carry him out on
stretcher-