Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-10-15
REV. DR.. DAWSON
AMONG VICTIMS
IN HILLS CASE
Newark Clergyman Invested in
Concerns FIoated by Brook
Iyn Divine.
FORMER is MENTIONED
AMONG "cLOSE FRIENDS"
Mr.. Dawson Declines to Tell
Amount He Invested in Hills
Enterprises.

Rev. DIR. William ]. Dawson, pastor
of the First Presbyterian Church
here, is one of the many persons who
have been made to suffer as a result
OF the sensational financial opera
> tions of Rev. DR.. Newell Dwight
Hills. The latter is pastor of the
historic Plymouth Church, of Brook
lyn, and is now figuring in aiIega-
tions. made by his former counsel,
Frank l.. Ferguson, of New York
Mr.. Ferguson, in an affidavit filed
yesterday in the Supreme Court of
New York. claims that the Brooklyn
clergyman was reckless plunger."
He also pictured DR.. Hills as guilty
of falsehood, bad faith, disloyalty and
of intensified efforts to obtain wealth.
The clergyman on his part declares
that the statement by Ferguson is a
malicious attack" and says the law
yer held out accountings of the Hills
transactions and improperly applied
HilliSs money. Both statements are
a sequel to a court effort by DR.. Hills
to obtain an accounting from Fergu-
son.
The Ferguson affidavit. made in re-
ply to DR.. Hillis's court action, men,
tons the name of the pastor of the
Newark church as one of DIR. Hillis's
close friends, whom he got to invest
in timber lands. These sales of stock
to his friends, the affidavit says, were
made at a great increase over the
price paid by DIR. Hills. Regarding
these transactions by DIR. Hills, the
Ferguson affidavit says:
Plaintiff not only quickly rein
vested all large said net profits, but
also borrowed money for the purchase
of still greater number of timber
licenses, SO that within one year plan
tiff had secured for himself from sixty
to 100 timber licenses, part of which, as
heretofore stated, he was able to sell
at prices far in excess of the market
value of the same and with corre-
spondingly large gain to himself, to
close and trusting friends, such as
said e. d. Patrick, r. N. Patrick, OF
Merengo, H.; Pomeroy Burton, of
London, England; Amos D. Carver,
n. G. Brown, Richard Seidenberg, b.
e. Hutchinson, Alexander Black,
George BenecSe Rev. S. ParlSes Cad
man, Rev. N. M. Waters and Rev.
William ]. Dawson.
plaintiffs business relations with
said brother and nephews became SO
strained that said brother and
nephews refused to continue their
business relations with him.
Plaintiff, however was stimulated
to greater speculative activity by his
phenomenal success and profit during
the first year, and thereupon entered
into very much larger contracts.
Plaintiff soon found himself utterly
unable to fulfill the terms of said con-
tracts or to make good his many and
large financial obligations. In his
need and distress he appealed to
friends to assume the aforesaid con-
tracts or to lend him money to enable
him to carry the same, and with some
of whom he came to have more or
less serious misunderstanding and
against whom he made tnsinuations
or charges"
Lectured Here Recently.
DR.. Hills a week ago Monday lee
tured in the First Presbyterian
Church here In a series of fall and
winter lectures. This was after the
first charges were made in the con-
troversy between the Brooklyn
preacher and Lawyer Ferguson. He
also lectured at the same ediffce last
winter in the Columbia University
extension course.
DIR. Dawson would give no definite
statement of his losses when seen at
his home, 1923 Broad street, today. 1t
is believed, however, to be a large
sum.
When asked IL II were true that he
was one of the friends of DR.. Hills,
who had lost by entrusting money to
the latter in his business deals, DIR.
Dawson smiled and admitted that the
report was true.
IT cannot give you any statement
ut this time" said DIR. Dawson, when
asked how he CHANGED to become in