Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-06
CHURCH AFFAIR
To Be AIRED IN
MACON COURTS
Accused and Accusers Engage
Counsel for Impending Libel
and SIander Suits.

Macon been as agitated as they are
over the scandal charges which have
been preferred against the two
church leaders of the First Christian.
That Professor Charlton, the choir
leader, not only of the First Christian,
but a teacher of music also in the
Jewish synagogue as well as in the
First Presbyterian Church, and Mrs.
Lester should be guilty as charged
seemed incredible to the majority of
people And yet there were the
charges which were so strong that
one of the elders, a member of the
Investigating committee, declared
that on the first day of the investiga-
ton he believed the parties guilty
from the evidence.
Probe Starts Gossip.
The very fact that the First Chris
tian authorities felt warranted to
conduct a thorough investigation of
the matter caused people who passed
the thing up as a hoax at first to
think twice and then begin to search
for themselves. AS a result gossip,
whispered in the church circles and
openly INDUCED in society circles and
elsewhere, has been the order of the
day ever since the story became pub
licly known.
While the Investigations of the
ly, usually at night when people were
in Led, the general trend of things
has been pretty we'll known for sew
eral days following the exposure.
First came the incident itself on
the night Of June s. of which little
was then known, however, and then
the publication of an anonymous
story in an afternoon paper, but
which in most subtle manner hint
ed at the affair." A few days later
copies Of this paper were anonymous
ly mailed to Mr.. Lester husband of
the accused woman, and to Mrs.
| leader. The whisperings became
holder and holder and finally open
| gossip resulted in the appointment
Of a special committee in the First
| Christian Church TO investigate the
affair
If time counts for anything, this
committee has done its work we'll
for 1t probed for a full week. Secret
| conferences have been held with both
accused and accusers, as we'll as the
neighbors who were said to know
a thing or two" The newspaper man
! who Sprung" the anonymous story
was even subpenaed as a witness in
the case. All have testified. Mrs
Jenkins has repeated time and again
that she heard the mysterious tele-
| phone conversation in which the al
| legged appointment was made between
| the music professor and Mrs Lester.
| Mrs. Armstrong it is said. although
| she refuses to make a statement to
I the press, has corroborated Mrs.
Jenkins testimony in substance;
while Professor Charlton has estab-
| ished what he claims is an alibi and
Mrs. Lester has submitted certain
| proof which she says clears her Of
| all the charges.
Principals Prominent.
The good character of the accused
persons has played but small part in
the investigation, according to mem
bers of the committee, who say they
have gone after the facts in the case.
These facts, they now claim, disprove
| the charges which have been pre-
| ferred.
| The prominence Of the parties, par
| ticularly of Professor Charlton, who
has been connected with musical ac-
| tivities in Macon now for about five
or six years, has lent color to the af-
| fair sufficient to carry It all over the
State and far beyond. Professor
| Charlton is English by birth and came
to Macon from Bloomington. ILL., His
residence In this city was by acci-
! uGl4I Ouly, dS he was passing through
here on a revival tour in which he
was assisting an evangelist Some
months later he married a Miss
Woods, the daughter, it is said. Of
a one time prominent Georgia legis-
lator. In addition to his church ac-
| tivities, Professor Charlton has a
large class Of pupils. girls and boys,
members OF prominent families in
| Macon.
Mrs Lester has been connected
with the First Christian Church for
about seven or eight years, serving IN
various capacities in the ladies' or
ganizations. At the present time she
! is secretary of the Ladies' Aid Socie-
ty. Prior to marriage she was a
Miss Head, of Zebulon. Mr.. Lester
is in the lumber business. He is also
an officer in the First Christian
| Church, where he has held member
] ship for about four years.