The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-21
CHARGES Of MINISTER
DISMISSED BY BOARD
Accusations of Rev. j. o. MoSs Are
Unsustained, Votes Members
OF Body.
MANY ATTEND INVESTIGATION
Education Board Declares That Its
Confidence In Moral and Profess
saonal Fitness OF Rev. W. W. Ed
wards Is Entirely mistaken

After an Investigation. which lasted
several hours, of the charges brought
against Rev. w. w. Edwards, n Bap-
fist minister and inspector of high
schools in Virginia. by the Rev. John
0. Moss, pastor of the Methodist
church at Waverly. members of the
State Board of Education last night
they are OF the unanimous opinion
that the charges were wholly unsus-
tanned.
The investigation closed shortly
after o'clock last night at which
time tho members OF the board went
into executive session. Within q
short while the members returned the
following verdict:
Resolved. That the board after a
full and thorough investigation of the
charges against Mr.. w. w. Edwards,
state school inspector. brought by
Rev. J. o. Moss. is unanimously OF
ly unsustained. and hereby declares
that its confidence In the moral and
professional fitness OF Mr., Edwards
10 entirely mistaken by anything
brought out in the Investigation"
MFR. Moss Charges.
Mr.. Moss set forth his charges
against Mr. Edwards In a letter writ
ten to J. n. Hillman. secretary OF the
State Board of Education, on Novem-
Der 20. that Mr.. Edwards had been
brick hatted on the streets of Waiver
1y; that leading citizen said in q
Waverly mass meeting that he would
not believe him on oath; that a lady
in the same meeting called him a
hypoorite by implication that he was
seen in the Waverly fair grounds at
late hour at night in company with
show women; that leading merchant
in Waverly had shaken his finger In
his face in the presence OF the board
of trustees and called him that
or ne would disgrace him, and that
he was absolutely without self-respect
and 8 disgrace to the Common wealth
OF Virginia
Mr. Moss conducted the prosacu-
ton, while Mr. Edwards was repre-
sented at the investigation by O. l.
Shewm AXE of Surry, legal adviser to
tho State School BOARD: Richard II,
Mann, of Petersburg United States
district attorney for the Eastern Dis
trict of Virginia: r. Frank Story. Of
Southampton and J. @ Rohnnnon
nil OF whom are said TO have voIun-
accused man without compensate
Many Character Witnesses
Three with esses-W. H. Ford. ]. Fl,
Fleetwood and George Waite-ap-
peared on behalf OF Mr.. Moss in an
effort TO substant;ate the charges
brought by the latter against the
Baptist minister. Something like
seventy-nve people from Sussex,
Surry, Prince George, Norfolk Rich
mond and Petersburg appeared to tes-
tify for Mr.. Edwards but less than
half OF these citizens were placed on
tho stand by the defense. Among
those who appeared on behalf Of Mr..
Edwards are: DR. L. Iangford. T. T.
Starke, Harvie McIcmore clerk OF
Southampton County; James Bristow,
J. J. Rristow. j. r. Wilcox. w n.
Savage. l. B. Faison. c, II. shcffeld.
DR.. l. O. Vaughan. w e. Norris. J.
n. Barrett, Thomas II. Howerton.
Rev. j. F. Welsh. F. L., r r. and J.
L. Birdsong. Dr.. G. p. Nedlett, w. r.
Roach. T. A. West, w. J. and Felix
Ellis, r. L Prince, DR.. Joel Craw-
ford. p D. and William A. Owen.
NJ. d. Magee, B T. Horn. ]. I. Gil
liam. r. F, Mitchell. r, J Jackson,
d. r, Kennedy, Or. r. r. Hawks, Don
PEBBLES. J O. Faison. Alex r. Hobbs,
IL p" llilclliHt tfoLtSSDI w IIEdftl L.
Prince. Rev w r. Gibson, r. West
I To nh and a number of other promi-
ncnt citizens
Evidence introduced by the prose
cution was mostly OF a hearsay ma
ture. A large part of the investiga-
ton was consumed by the hearing OF
testimony from witnesses who ap
peared for Mr. Edwards as to the
character of the latter.
At the conclusion Of the case
neither Mr.. Moss nor Mr. Edwards
had any statements to make with ref
erence 20 the charges.