Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-06
CHURCH AFFAIR
To De AIRED IN
MACON COURTS
Accused and Accusers Engage
Counsel for Impending Libel
and SIander Suits.
Continued From Page 1.


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
tan 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
/ committee have been conducted quiet
/ ly, usually at night when people were
/ in bed, 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 5. of which little
was then known, however, and then
the publication of an anonymous
story in an afternoon paper, but
which in a most subtle manner hint
! ed at the affair. A few days later
| copies Of this paper were anonymous
/ ~ mailed to Mr.. Lester, husband of
the accused woman, and to Mrs.
! Charlton, wife of the accused choir
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 well
for 1t probed for a full week. Secret
| conferences have been held with both
accused and aCcusers, as well 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
| the press, has Corroborated Mrs.
Jenkins testimony in substance
while Professor Charlton has estab-
lished 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-
ttvities 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, H. His
| residence in this city was by acct
dent only, as 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 &C
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.
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