Evening journal., 1914-01-08
WOULD GUST
MR.. WILLIAMS
Senator Benson Questions His
Right to Seat in Mary
land Senate
WAS FORMERLY
PREACHER OF GOSPEL

ANNAPOLIS. Md, Jan. S.-Shortly
after the State Senate convened yes
terday, and while the new members I
were being sworn in. Senator Ben
son, of Baltimore county, sprang
surprise upon his Republican col
leagues by introducing a resolution
questioning the right of Frank +.
Williams, of Cecil county. to occupy
a seat in that body on the ground
that, being an ordained minister of
the Gospel, he is disqualified by the
Constitution.
After a lengthy debate. in which
Mr.Williams right to have the oath OF
office administered to him was de-
Tended by Frederick n. Zihlman, OF
Allegany county, the Senate floor
leader of the Republicans, the Ben
son resolution was adopted by vote
of IL TO T. AS a result, IL now be-
comes necessary to have the status of
two of the men returned as elected to
the Senate passed upon. The other
man whose right to sit in that branch
of the Legislature is being questioned
is Ounce Ashburn, of Worcester
county, whose election is being con-
tested by Orlando Harrison.
Ever since the election last fall it
has been understood that Mr.. Harri-
son intended to contest the election
Of Mr.. Ashburn, who, on the face OF
the returns, was declared the winner
in the Worcester county con EST by
four votes. Therefore, when the for
mer's memorial asking that Mr.. Ash
burn be unscated was presented to
the Senate today il created no stir
whatever.
Things were different, however in
the case of Mr.. Williams. Until a
very short time before the Senate
convened only a few OF Mr. Benson's
intimate friends had any knowledge
of his intentions and the Republican
members of the Senate were COM
pletely In the dark. His resolution
for some time kept them guessing.
Zihlman Presents Memorial
Finally, after all of the routine mat
ters OF the Senate had been disposed of
Mr.. Williams. through Senator Zihman.
presented memorial, admitting that
he had once been o minister, but saying
that lie had been Identified several years
ago, and asking to have his case speed
lily disposed OF. IhereupOn Senator
Benson. after first moving TO refer the
memorial TO the judiciary committee to
be appointed, finally moved to have 1t
referred TO a special committee of five
members. This motion was carried.
The men who will now determine the
status of Mr. Williams are Senators
Beck. of Kent; Archer, of Hartford
Campbell, Of Baltimore; Cooper, of Car
oine. and Zihlman. of Allegheny. Sen
ator Benson especially requested TO be
left oil the committee. The members
of the committee had a talk with Mr
Williams as soon a. the Senate ad-
iourned and arranged to meet at An
napois on next Tuesday night. whel
the inquiry into the constitutionaitA
of his election wiz be started. a re
port will be made as soon thereatte
as possible.
According to Senator Benson, lIr
Williams some years ago was pastor %
the Northminster Presbyterian Church
then known as the Boundary Avenue
Presbyterian Church, at North avenu
and st. Paul street, and as such was
member of the Baltimore Prcsbytcry
Later he was transferred to the New
Castle Presbytery. and FOR severa
wears preached in one of its churches
Later he was Identified and at presen
he edits paper and is otherwise en-
HHtU III NNNlHtN0 Ai N'AiA N'NHNgf
Senator Williams Side Of It.
Senator Williams made the following
statement:
II was for some years minister O
the Presbyterian Church. After be
coming broken in health, l attempte
twice TO resume my ministry. ! final
ly retired entirely from the ministry
"Tnasmuch as / resided at that tim
90, in ffnnf1
was connected with the New Castl
Presbytery. Having become actiVei
engaged in business and also in tn
publication of a local paper-th
Cecil Whig-I considered it incum
bent on me to withdraw fully and m
allv from the ministry. AT a meet
ing of the Presbytery OF New Cast
in Elkton in the spring OF 1906
formally asked to be demitted troi
the ministry.
"The Presbytery granted my 70
quest and as its records show, order
cd the clerk of the Presbytery TO iul
nish me with letter OF admission
some local church. Inasnuch as IL
law of the Presbyterian Church doc
not permit a minister TO ho'd men
bership in any local church. the pre-
onIaLlOn Oh my lelltI W NlI0dpS1h
City Presbyterian Church and my az
mission TO membership in that churc
is. of course, a simple but certain ev
dence of the fact that my ministl
was Identified Since this demissic
have, of course, performed no mil
isterial service OF any sort whateve
Familiar With the Law.
Il was quite familiar with Il
provision of the Maryland Constit
ton which prohibits any minister
any religious denomination from b
ing a member of the Legislature. b
I did not suppose the Senate
Maryland would undertake to preve
my being seated on the bare stat
ment that it is common knowled
that Frank e. Williams is a minist
OF a religious denomination 1t
not a matter Of common knowled
or of any other kind of knowledf
It is simply matter of entire misi
formation"