New-York tribune., 1915-10-15
Ex-Adviser Stripped Him,
He Says, and Now Seeks
Expulsion from Pulpit.
NEW AFFIDAVIT AGAIN
BRANDS PASTOR LIAR
Charges Clergyman Traded on
His Profession" TO Enhance
Personal Fortune.

H4ttI NbhftiuR bsNcEhl weeks from
attacks by Frank l.. Ferguson. his for
mer business attorney and chairman Of
his board Of trustees, the Rev. Newell
Dwight Hills, OF Plymouth Church,
broke his silence yesterday. Through
his attorneys. lockwood e. Lark. he
charges that his former trusted adviser
has stripped him OF much Of his life
savings and is now trying to drive him
from the pulpit Of Plymouth Church.
While DR.. Hills was issuing his de-
fence Ferguson was giving out copies
Of an affidavit fled later in the Su-
preme Court, Brooklyn, in support o.
his motion TO block an examination By
DR.. Hillis's lawyers OF his stewardship
OF the clergymsn's business affairs from
1910 10 1915. Ferguson declares in his
affidavit that Dr.. Hiliss motive in try
ing TO get him before a referee is mere
~ a bid for sympathy and financial aid.
He denies casegorically the clergyman's )
contention that he has never given an
accounting Of his Stewardship, and mis-
statement bristles with charges Of
falsehood against DR.. Hills.
Aside from throwing the blame for
his disastrous timber land speculations
on Ferguson. DR.. Hillis's reply tells
something of his relations with Percy
ID. Hills his nephew. who is suing him
for libel. and intimates that the latter
is now in league with Ferguson TO de-
fame him. notwithstanding the fact that
Ferguson had warned DR.. Hills that
his nephew had robbed him OF mis- log
eing company assets." IN spite Of this.
Dr. Hills says he believes young Hill
lis's failure was due 10 the inexperl-
ence of youth and TO undue confidence
in incompetent men"
Here, in part. is the clergyman's g
reply;
every fOrm of attack through anony-
nous letters and newspaper criticisms,
until my former trustee. F. l.. Ferguson,
has. through charges OF wild specule-
tion. made my name a centre OF scan
dal.
Five years ago ! gave this man my
power Of attorney, and for three years
thereafter received no financial ac-
counting whatsoever as TO moneys eX-
pended. During the last two years
have exhausted every form OF personal
appeal and the influence of the officers
Of Plymouth Church 70 obtain an ac-
counting.
"On the 2lst Of February last | dis
covered that instead of $500 worth OF
my bonds being mislaid. as claimed by
Ferguson. that about year and O half
| before. Ferguson had borrowed money
on these bonds, for his own personal
use. although he now admits that these
bonds wero held by himself as security
for some alleged claim he has against
me became even more alarmed in
regard to the whereabouts OF certain
OF nv stock. which learned was s-
sued 70 his two sons, his secretary and
himself. and covered the equity of
property which | still had left after
paving the Victoria losses.
"Not once during five years have /
seen the check book as 10 my trustees
account in the Bank OF Long bland,
the ledger, the journal. or the stock
certificate book And now that my at
torneys have asked for an examination
before the county. Ferguson has cuc-
ceeded in postponing tho same. Dur
ing the first year Of his administra-
ton. from June 30. 1910, TO June 30,
1911. Ferguson, without my knowledge
or consent, paid himself $3.50 in
cash out Of my money, not to mention
additional payments during the reXt
two wears. thus leaving me stripped o.
much of the savings of ny lifetime.
but apparently leaving plenty OF
money In his hands with which 70
fight my demand for q financial &C
count,
"During the last five years that !
have been working on the Beecher Me
mortal. the Beecher PARK. the Beecher
statue, the gallery and the arcade, the
great Arbuckle institute building ana
The gymnasium, and in developing the
institution itself, this man Ferguson
has been using my cash bonds ana
stock. Now ! discover that during
those FIVE years he had in cash, bonds
and stock almost 100000. For tnis
am trying 70 obtain financial &C
counting"
Disposing Of the charge that he had
failed TO render an account o. ~.
Uillis's affairs, Ferguson in his aili-
QRFlI GtCltlto Ntog uNA'l+h
three years Of his administration Dr.
Hills entreated him not TO render
full statement of his vast and IN
yolyed business affairs lest knowledge
Of the same by his wife and son Ricn-
ard Hills might seriously endanger
their health" which. Ferguson alleges,
was said by Or. Hills TO be seriously
impaired through nervousness.
Denial that he failed in the matter
Of accounting is further supported by
Ferguson In the affidavit by the asser.
tion that during the three years period
special,y referred 70 by Or. Hills state,
ments OF his affairs had been furnished
10 +. A. Patrick and r. VI. Patrick. the
clergyman's father-in-law and brother
ir-law, and had been considered Dy
them at conference az which hrs.
Hills was present. $3.50.
Regarding the charge that Dr. INNS
had "traded on his profession" TO en-
hance his personal fortune by. specu-
letion. Ferguson outlines what he say
Is the history of the clergyman's "reck-
less speculation"
Arguments on Ferguson's motion 70
vacste DR.. Hillis's order for his ex-
animation before Referee William ID.
Mickey were begun Yesterday before
Supreme Court Justice Kelly IN bro1h-
lyn. Attorney Charles I. Lark for Dr'
Hills. pleaded that be was unprepared'
and on his request Justice Kelly aa-
iourned the hearing until next Tues
dav