The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-19

QOuuCluB the inquiry as a SldnQer factory" This charge was denied by pr. Potter.
 The charities investigation brought out the fact that the police had tapped the wires of pr. Potter and of priests interested in Catholic charities. Then the Thompson committee took up the
 subject, and the situation was intensi- fled by the charge brought by Mayor
 Mitchell that Catholic priests were
 conspiring to wreck his administra-
 tion and defeat the ends of justice. pr.
 Potter enlivened the proceedings by attacking the mayor and SCommis-
 sioner Kingsbury. e
 The wiretapping charges were
 heard by Justice Greenbaum in the
 Criminal Branch of the Supreme
 Court. and the last appearance of pr.
 Potter on the stand was at the hear
 ing in July. pr. Potter cried when, in reply to question, he mentioned the name of the late Thomas Mury as one who had reconciled him to
 MT. Hebbard after several years of
 misunderstanding. He repudiated as
 false most of the important phono-
 grams and his replies were sharp, but he admitted his sponsorship of some |of the so-called Farrell pamphlets upon which Mayor Mitchell based. his charge of libel against pr. Potter and two priests.
 Knowing his wires were tapped, he
 said. he called up several railroads
 and made it appear that he was going
 to Atlantic City when he went out of
 the city for rest He employed the
 ruse, he said, because he did not want to be bothered In reply to ques-i tioh as to who was bothering him..
 Dr. Potter replied:
 By the Government of the City of New York, by John Purroy Mitchell.
 Woods, and the whole gang. They
 were snealxing me"
 The detectives who ''listened in" on the tapped wires were subjected to. tests to prove their expertness in re- |cording wire conversations, and De-
 tective Sergeant Kennel, crazed by criticism of his methods, attempted |suicide by shooting himself. It is ex-
 pected that Justice Greentaum will hand down decision in the case in
 "a day or two.
 ! pr. Potter was appointed head of
 the Bureau Of Charities by Controller
 Grout in 1902 He resigned In June,
 1910. when it was charged that Dr.
 Potter had received $5,B004 from Catholic institutions to help him .out of his financial troubles" This was absolutely denied by pr. Potter, who
 said on the witness stand that he never knew of fund for his benefit until three years after. The Investigation showed that the money was afterward used for other purposes.
 pr. Potter was 66 years old. He was born in Stonington, Conn, and was educated in the public schools. He then attended the Theological Semin- ary of Colgate University, and he was ordained into the Baptist ministry in 1874. He was called at once to the East Sixth Street Baptist church. and he remained there as pastor until the Sixth Street church was merged. Then he became pastor of the Tabernacle. The latter years of his pastorate were Istorny. His differences with MrPut- nam, his assistant, became so bitter that charges and countercharges of misbehavior were exchanged, and the affair attracted considerable public at tention.
 The seige of Dr.. Potter in the >%uuAcfh 11Ch5C, pt AVSs 0SCOlid -1tcIuSS |, his ejectment and his restoration were sensations in 1897. The Church House adjoined the church in Second avenue. The house was leased to Miss Julia Ross and pr. Potter had his quarters lon the second floor. When difficulties
 arose. John D. Rockefeller. who as- sisted in the support of the church, withdrew his support. The property was foreclosed to the Baptist Mission society, but Dr. rotter refused to move. The seige lasted several weeks and the place was invested by city marshals and detectives The pastor
 had the support of friends though the trustees had taken action against him. Food was smuggled to him, and some
 times 1t was hoisted to his quarters in pail let down on string. On
 March 8, 1907, Dr. Potter surrendered. The courts restored him to possession, and later he obtained a verdict of $s,- 900 against the society. There fol- lowed a notice that other suits had
 been discontinued, and pr. Potter sev-
 cred his connection with the Taber-
 nacle. ,f