The sun., 1918-08-02
$4,000 JUDGMENT
WON BY DR.. HILLS
Referee Decides Against
Preachers Business Agent in
Timber Speculation.

TheSRev DR.. Newell u. Hills, pastor
Of Plymouth Church in Brooklyn. received
yesterday a judgment of $4,000 agains,
Frank L. Ferguson, his former business
agent and attorney in timber lands
speculation in Vancouver The referee
William d. Dickey. dlsallowed a claim
for $4,000 advanced by Ferguson
against his erstwhile client. but allowed
him 8 per cent. instead OF 10 per cent
commission on sales. The decision fol-
lows three years Of litigation.
In answer to DR.. Hillis's demand fol
an accounting Ferguson contended tina,
the preacher owed him ss5.S04 for ser.
vices rendered from 1910 to 1915, dur.
ing which period he asserted he not onl,
got the pastor out of a deep financial
hole but earned for him $123,9S0 be.
sides.
In his report Mr.. Dickey said:
"A good part Of the defendants briei
OF 263 pages is taken up with an efor,
to show that DR.. Hills sometime before
the defendant Ferguson. BECAME his
agent and attorney in fact under power
cash and on expectations OF his salary
| OF $4,000 as pastor of Plymouth Church
and earnings as author and lecturer OF
$4,000 yearly. engaged in wild specula-
tions In purchases and sales OF virgin
Canadian timber lands on Vancouver
Island. r. c.. and elsewhere amounting to
several billions of feet and representing
more than a million dollars in cost
that he was inexperienced as a specu'
! lator and had bought good deal OF
rock and burned out timber when he sup
posed he was buying good timber land
that he sold some of this timber which
ne bought at low prices at as much ms
500 per cent. profit to relatives. fellow
clergymen, evangelists. parishoners and
others. including Lord Harmsworth OF
England"
Referee Dickey added:
THE temptation is strong to preacl
a sermon on the improperly, 10 use NJ
harsher word. OF ministers, while they
are ministers. engaging in any specula
tive business where the speculation l.
to be carried on with money Of other
who entrust their earnings and saving!
to a minister because he is minister
relying on everything that belongs L
the ministerial office; but l refrain.
ut was referred to me only to pas:
defendant as attorney and agent of tn,
| plaintiff and to give my opinion as Il
| how faithful he was in his trust il
| handling the business affairs OF tn
| plaintiff. and to say which items OF hi
| account rendered should be allowed a
correct and which OF the challenge,
items must be disallowed
NO amount Of wrongdoing on tn
| part OF the plaintiff to those dealini
with him in buying timber of him, n,
| amount OF misrepresentation by him
IL there were such. will in any wa!
/ Justify. excuse or palIiate a breach o
trust on the part OF the defendant o
permit him to wrongfully appropriate
to himself thkN money of his principa
coming into his hands as attorney AM
agent or permit him to make a charg
to his client over and above what /
agreed upon between them. His dut
Is to honestly and truly account for hi
stewardship and to the last penny pa,
over to the plaintiff his due"
| DR.. Hills is In France getting ma
terial for lectures. Mr. Ferguson ha
no comment to make.