Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-03-30
PASTOR COOKN)N
TRIAL.: Decline
TO TRYR. WATT
Conference b Vste Of 129
to I3 RgectS Charges
Against superintendent
COOKE TRIAL At ASDURY
VALB. BISHOPS RULING
STAFF Correspondent.

staff Correspondent
sEAE5RD, Del, March 3O.--After the
Wilmington Methodist Episcopal Confer
ence yesterday afternoon voted over
wbelBingly not to consider charges pre-
ferrd by the Rev. George A. Cooke, sus-
pended pastor of Wesley Church. Viii
mngton, against the Rev. DR.. Robert
Watt, superintendent OF Wilmington
district, a select number or jury of fit
teen ministers was appointed TO conduct
the trial of tho Rev. MIR. Cooke he IS
charged with unministerial conduct,
defamation and contumacy, charges that
were filed against him prior 10 the In
vestigation in Asbury Church, Whining
ton. at which he was found guilty on
one count, and the others were held UP.
This trial is being conducted behind
closed doors, with the Rev DIR. George
II. Buckley, of Philadelphia, pres ding.
II may not be finished this week, al
though sessions are being held day and
night bv the select number or jury. An
impression prevails that if the Rev. Mr..
Cooke is found guilty by the select
number he will be dismissed from the
Conference.
Decline to Consider Charges.
Conference in executive session IN OH
vet NJ. j. Church yesterday afternoon
voted almost unanimously not to enter
tain the charges preferred by the Rev.
Mr.. Cooke against District Superintend
ent Watt The charges already have
been published and alleged malieasanco
and dmaladministration I'm Office The con-
ference by vote of 100 to l3, declined
to consider the charges. Friends of DR..
Watt stated. after the session, that this
vote really was one of the strongest
votes of confidence ever given a district
superintendent by an annual Conference.
Immediately after this decision had
been announced by the tellers who
counted the vote, which took the form
Of a secret ballot. the Conference select
ed the following "select number" OF
Jury. to try the charges;
The Revs w. Z. Greenfield, Leonard
White. Howard Davis. L. p. Roberts, t
J Sard, Milton McCann. Ralph 7. Cour
sew. T. Z. Terry. George G. Williams
L. X. Moore. i. j. Cochran, Leolar
Jackson. C. T. Wyatt, Z. O. MacSor
ley. S. n. Pilchard.
At the request OF Bishop Mcdowell
the Rev. DR.. George Buckley, who is
entering upon his second term as dis
trict superintendent Of the Northwest
ern district Of the Philadelphia Con-
ference, came to Seaford yesterday to
act as presiding officer of the select
number.
The church counsel was the Revs
]. W. Easley and E. Fl. Dashiell. The
Rev. Mr. Cooke was his own counsel
assisted bv the Rev Z. II. Webster.
Read the Testimony.
The select number opened the trial
with the Rev. Disston W. Jacobs, the
Conference secretary, as recorder
They began by reading all the testi-
mony taken at the hearings before the
committee Of investigation, the grand
Jury" OF the Conference. at Asbury
Church. Wilmington. This charge
that OF defamation, was the only one
considered to date. and there was some
new evidence introduced in behalf o.
DR.. Cooke.
Mrs. Boyer. who was a previous
witness for him. and w. T. NickersoT
were the only witnesses called durlnl
1.-THE session, which lasted from 7.3l
o'clock last evening until lilo O'clocl
at night. The entire afternoon ses
sion. held in Olivet Church, was de
voted to reading the previous evidence
The evening session was held in th'
Jr. o. L. A. NJ. Hall. where the re
naming sessions will be held.
It developed during the evening tha
there is a strong probability Of thes
sessions continuing into next week
and arrangements have been made Il
continue the sessions or the selec
number each day from $50 o'clock Il
the morning until II o'clock at nigh
until the trial is finished.
Nav Go Into Next Week.
Should the sessions Of the trla
board continue. it will mean that tn
Conference sessions will be continue
for the same time. since, II the verde
should be acquittal. Dr.. Cooke woul
be available for assignment. o
should he be convicted. the sentenc
might be such that he could be give
pastoral assignment, or, on the othe
hand, he could be dismissed froI
Conference.
An important ruling was made b
Or. Buckley, the presiding Office
when he announced that the law di
not necessarily require that all iftee
members of the select number shoul
be present. but that any number, NOR
than one. would be competent to col
duct the trials.
Bishop ReYcrSes One Ruling.
Previous to the selection of tn
trial committee. during the Afternoon
Bishop Mcdowell handed down his do
Continued on Page Thirteen)