White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1916-04-09

Case

jury IN aOtpffDhs @a1uaa
After celebrating for sixiy-sl1
hours and fifteen minutes. the jury
in the case against Rev. Madison
Slaughter was discharged al $50
Monday morning b. Judge Gregory.
after he refused to accept a promise
of verdict Of guilty Il be would agree
10 grant probation.
The 5urfs statement. which was
signed BY all the members, vas as
follows
oroviile fCalif), April 3. To the
Honorable Superior Court. Butte
county. California Ne. the jury en-
psneled TO try the case Of the people
against Madison Slaughter. after due
consideration and discussion Of the
evidence as presented during the
trial. have arrived al the conclusion
that the only possible chance of an
agreement of this jury lies in the as
suranee OF this Court that II found
guilty. the defendant. Madison
Slaughter. will be shown clemency by
the Court and granted probation
The Slaughter trial grew out Of
charges made by Gertrude Lamson,
a ffteen-year-old member of the Bap-
fist church of Chico, against Rev.
Madison Slaughter. pastor OF that
church. and n of the best known
Baptist preachers on the coast.
Prior to these charges. however,
a bitter feud had been raging in the
Baptist church. Declaring that ma
Iioious gossip was being circulated
concerning his daughter, Naomi, Rev.
Slaughter preferred charges of Cos
sipping against Mrs. Lille Davis. a
member of his flock. She was found
guilty and disciplined for a year.
Mrs. Davis declared that she had not
been given a fair trial: that arbitrary
methods had been employed by the
pastor in conducting proceedings, and
that church rules had been yioulated.
Numerous church meetings were
held without Mrs. Davis securing re-
lief. She finally employed Attorney
Lon Bond Of Chico. to represent her
Bond was informed through some
source that he has not disclosed, OK
the charges made by Gertrude Lam
son. At this time these charges had
been disclosed only to Mrs. Thomas
whidden. Miss Mary Partridge, How
ard Allinger and Mrs. Lamson. the
mother of the girl. Bond immediate
" notified District Attorney r. A.
Leonard. al the same time placing be-
fore him such evidence as had been
secured +
The grand jury was in session in
oroyille, and Probation Officer c. S.
Cline was sent TO Chico after the
girl. Her mother vas away. but the
girl came willingly. She was placed
in the Detention Home and February
lst appeared before the grand jury
and told her story. Five separate in
dictments against Slaughter were re-
turned.
While the grand jury was still in
session. Mr.. and Mrs. Fred n. Lam
son appeared with Rev Madison
Slaughter upon the pulpit of the
baptist church. and expressed their
belief in his innocence and their con-
Yiction that the story Of their daugh-
ter was false.
Prior to the time that the indiet-
ments were returned, on January
s0th. Judge Gregory ordered Ger
trude Lamson back into the custody
OF her parents. declaring that the
manner in which she had been taken
from their home was without legal
authority. District Attorney Leon
ard protested that TO send her back
10 her home would mean every in
fuenee would be brought 10 bear up
on her 10 force her to r~epudiate her
charge The court refused, however.
TO change its order.