Evening journal., 1917-01-13
pastor COOKE Wins
another BIG TRIAL
CONTINUED From First Page.)
placed on the defensive when his trial
Is called.

placed on the defensive when his trial
Is called.
The trial" OF Thorp last night,
/ which Pastor Cooke declares is reg
ular" and according to the rules Of
church discipline" was carried on
quietly, commencing at o'clock and
ending at a little after 10 o'clock.
Contrary to the rule at the trial OF
Clayton L. Crew. on Wednesday night,
the trustees and stewards OF the
church were admitted but tho public
was excluded.
There was no crowd outside the
church as on Wednesday night but q
number OF men and boys managed to
be on the steps as different people
went in, and cat calls and groans
were heard. Every one was scrutinized
as he entered and only those connect
ed with the church or with the trial.
except the church officials we're ad-
mitted
Mr.. Cooke signed the charges
against Mr.. Thorp; the words alleged
in the charges as defamation OF
character" were alleged to have been
against MIR. Cooke; Mr.. Cooke was
party to the contention; he presided
at the trial. he picked the jury, he
appointed himself a witness, he
passed upon and decided the admis-
stability Of testimony, he acted as
prosecuting attorney for the church,
he argued the case before the jury.
Three OF the hve witnesses called
we're husbands OF members OF the
| jury which consisted Of only Ave
members. Mr.. Thorp pleaded not
guilty to the charges but called no
witnesses. The jury composed r. u.
Leatherbury, W. 'T. Nickerson, both
/ trustees of the church; Mrs. Ida Cole,
Mrs. Gertrude Mitchell and Mrs.
Frank d. Boyer Mr.. Cole, Mr.. Mitch
| ell and Mr.. Boyer were witnesses
against Mr.. Thorp.
While presiding at the trial and hav-
ing called other witnesses, Mr.. Cooke
asked Mr.. Thorp if he had anything 10
say, and was told "nothing." He then
! announced that he transformed himself
| into witness and testified against Mr..
Thorp.
"Is IL possible to have a duly consti-
tuted church trial without a presiding
officeri" Caleb e. Bmchenal. who was
present as advisory counsel TO Mr..
ut might be a question Of opinion
answered Mr.. Cooke
'I have asked you that question, 4"
said Mr.. Burchenal
4 mo, sirl There can be no church
trial without a presiding officer" an
swered Mr.. Cooke
I'VE have had no presiding officer
for fifteen minutes" said Mr.. Burche-
/ 81 al ~.
ter" o
In answer to this, Pastor Cooke as
! serted he had that right under the
law Of the church. At the close of
the hearing Mr.. Cooke addressed the
jury at some length and directed the
| jury TO bring I'm a verdict OF guilty.
This verdict was Immediately render
ed, and Mr.. Cooke then declared Mr.
Thorp expelled from membership OF
the church.
Mrs Cooke, wife OF the pastor, act
ed as secretary; Miss Margaret Sapp,
assistant secretary. Frank Manley,
George Ecl1man, Scott Grihth. Frank
Crowl, Robert s. Velleau, trustees.
were present as witnesses.
Duties Of Triers Of Appeals.
It is expected that Thorp, like
Crew, will take an appeal to the triers
Of appeals It is a court provided
for in the Discipline to hear
the appeals OF members Of the
church, and is constituted by electing
from each pastoral charge at the
last quarterly conference, one person
known as the trier OF appeals. When
a Judgment is rendered adverse to an
accused member, notice is served
upon the district superintendent and
preachers In charge, the grounds Of
appeal being alleged. whereupon on
not less than ten and not more than
thirty days notice the district super
intendent shall convene the triers OF
appeals. Notice of the time and place
OF meeting shall be given TO all part
les concerned. The appellant has the
right OF peremptory challenge so long
as the number of triers OF appeals sit
ting shall not be reduced below seven.
The district superintendent shall
preside.
The procedure Is simple. In the ap-
lpellate court the accused becomes the
complainant and the church becomes
the defendant. After the case has
been gone into. all persons except the
district superintendent and triers OF
appeals retire. The first question
asked when all have retired shall
be; "Shall the verdict stand?" n the
|. answer be in the affirmative the ap-
b peal falls and the verdict stands.
! II the answer be in the negative the
> accused Is restored TO all his rights
b and privileges as a member OF the
, church, as II there had been no trial
, The president OF the court has no au
? thority, except TO preside, and has nc
; vote in regard 70 the decision.
As yet formal charges have not beer
preferred against Pastor Cooke. The
Rev f. II. Dashiell. field secretary Of
Conference Endowment Commission
and the Rev. J. w Easley. pastor or
{ McCabe NJ e Church. will be counse
for the church IN the trial OF Pastor
Cooke. Il Is understood that the
charges viii be more voluminous thar
first was supposed, which has delayed
the formal filing OF charges. II II
said that five ministers may sign the
charges.
GARD OF THANKS.