Evening journal., 1917-01-26
DR.. COOKE OUSTED,
ADAM STENGLE IS
sent TO WESLEY.
Clergy Weep When Eccle-
siaStical Court SuStains One
Charge Against Pastor
MAY have ANOTHER
Statement TOMORROW

The Rev. George A. Cooke VIII hnva
no official connection with Wesley NJ n
Church from this time until the holding
of the next annual conferences, some tins
the latter part of March, having been
temporarily suspended from the minis-
try of The Methodist Episcopal Church
last evening by an investigating COM
mittee following hearing Of charges
against him Of unministerlal conduct
The Rev. nr. Adam Stengle haa been
designated TO take the place Of the sus-
pended pastor until the time Of the
conference. II is expected he viii taiEa
up the charge at once and viii assume
the duties Of the pastorate beginning
next Sunday. Dr. Watt, district super
intendent, said this morning he had
taken no further action Pastor Cooks
having been suspended, it devolves upon
him to designate another pastor. he said,
and he has done so
Pastor Cooke this morning said ha
had received no official Communication
regarding the suspension, and he could
not say what he would do until notioe
had been received.
Il can say nothing az this time.~
Pastor Cooke said to a representative
OF THE EVENING JOURNAL thi6
morning. 1T may be that after
have received official notice Of the
suspension / shall give out a state
ment. I do not know, Of course, at
this time, whether the suspension in
cludes surrender of the parsonage.
and shall not be in a position to say
anything about the matter for day
or two. was not present at the
trial and know nothing, OF course. OF
tho proceedings, except through the
newspapers.
Pastor Cooke left the courtroom az
/ 1910 o'clock yesterday morn 'ng, af-
ter a stormy scene and was not nres-
ent during the rest OF the trial, except
for about half an hour during the af-
ternoon, when no came in with a let
ter, which he gave 10 DR.. Wise, the
presiding officer and afterwards gave
10 representatives of the press, ask
ing that Il be published.
The letter was addressed 10 Mr.
Dashiell and was in the nature of an
apology. Pastor Cooke asked DR..
Wise TO read the letter or 10 return
II. DR.. Wise declined TO read the let
/ ter and handed it back 70 Pastor
Cooke, but not until Mr.. Dashiell had
/ been called and asked n he would ac-
cept the apology. Mr.. Dashiell re-
fused 70 accept IL in the form pre-
sented, but said he would be glad
to do so II the form were amended.
Pastor Cooke refused 10 do this and
had the letter copied by the press
representatives. This was about q
! o'clock.
Reading OF the sentence OF SINS
pension took place at Asbury NJ q
Church last night. shortly before 8
O'Clock, after consideration for more
than two hours Of charges, the hear
ing OF which had occupied the great
or part OF two days. The trial com
menced Wednesday morning Presen-
tation OF evidence on the first
charge, defamation, was compiefe6
yesterday afternoon and the case
submitted to the trial COMMITTEES
without argument by counsel for both
the church and the defence. reserva-
ton being made by the church Of
the right to present evidence on fha
ouher three charges in case the first
charge should not be sustained.
Ihe committee went into secret ses-
sion with court officials for considers
alton OF the evidence at 4.15 O'Clock.
The hnding was returned at $50
O'Clock when court was convened to
near the report, which follows
The committee appointed TO inves.i
tgate the complaint OF the church
/ against the Rev. George A. Cooke
respectfully reports that there were
four complaints made to them: Firsf
defamation; second, falsehood; third.
high imprudence, and fourth. con-
tumacy or defiance of authority.
When the first charge had BEEN
Continued on Page Eleven.)