The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-01-11
His Testimony Concluded in
Federal Court This
Forenoon
GOOD APPEARANCE
ON WITNESS STAND
Defense Claims Things He Said Were
Distorted to Mean What Was Not
1ntended-Conditions Under Which
He Said "To He'll with Patriotism

Denying absolutely most OF the state
ments credited to him by the govern
ment witnesses, Rev. Clarence H. wald-
ron of Windsor, the Baptist minister,
who IS charged with advising young
men against enlisting in the federal
service, occupied the witness stand in
the federal court here throughout the
afternoon session yesterday. 1t was the
general opinion of lawyers and specta-
tors that he made an excellent wit
ness for the defense He was exam
ined at great length by his attorney,
Robert C. Bacon of Brattleboro, and
the cross examination by District At
torney V. A. Bullard of Burlington had
been underway but a short time when
a recess was taken until this morning.
Mrs. Waldron. who is about 80 years
old and attractive appearing but with
sober face, was present as was his
father, Rev. Samuel r. Waldron.
The courst over-ruled the defendant =
motion for a directed verdict of not
guilty on the ground that the allega-
tions had not been proved, and then
the minister was called to the stand.
Mr.. Bacon outlined the defense to the
jury stating that he would prove that
some of the statements credited to
Waldron were made by him and that
others were distorted so as to make
their meaning totally different from
what was intended, also that the pam
phlet THE Word of The Cross" which.
IT is claimed, Mr.. Waldron distributed
and upon which much stress has been
placed were given out by him only
upon request and that they were adver-
tised in reputable magazines issued bv
the Evangelist Dwight L. Moody 3 in
terests.
In reference to the testimony of Har-
old +. Rice that the minister said he
was sorry Rice had enlisted Mr. Wald-
ron testified that he told Rice he was
sorry he was going to leave town and
leave the church. In regard to Paul
Braden s testimony that Waldron told
him TO resist the draft and the war
would be over before the law had
finished with the case the witness said
that what he told Braden was not TO
worry as the war might be over by
the time he was called. He denied that
he told Austin Burr that a Christian
should have no part in the war.
Mr.. Waldron said that the only time
he ever made the statement "To hell
with patriotism, as testified to bv
Lowell Hemmingyay, was in a sermon
IN the spring of 1916, when he said
with reference to Germany s onslaught
against Belgium and the Kaiser's ap-
real to God for greater success in the
name of patriotism, that "if this is
patriotism, to hell with patriotism. -
Mr.. Waldron said he never made any
remarks or performed any acts with the
intent to interfere with the military
operations of the United States or to
promote the success of the enemy.
On cross examination it was brought
out that he was not now a member
of the Windsor Baptist church having
withdrawn at the suggestion of church
officials. He said that since leaving
that church he had been holding serv.
ices for God Almighty and he admitted
that he had participated in the serv.
ices of the Holy Rollers
Mr.. Waldron s answers were very