Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-07-15
GEORGIA CHURCH
GUSTS PASTOR AS.
CONVICT CROOK.
Forger; Embezzler And
Deserter Of Family
Are Accusations


reply to charges against him, Rev
Lon Davis, pastor of Acworth Baptist
church here, Aat a meeting of the
church membArs last Wednesday
night was debarTed from his pulpit.
Among the charges against the min
ister are that he was some years ago
convicted in Texas for forgery and
embezzlement, and that he deserted
his wife and three children in Texas
to run away with redheaded wo-
man. Mr.. Davis, who has left town,
said before his departure that he
was going to Texas to bring back
proof that will clear him. In the
meanwhile, his property is being
levied upon for debts.
At the time Mr.. Davis was offered
the pastorate of the Acworth Bap-
tist church, in the summer of 1920,
he was doing travelling evangelitsic
work. He was formerly pastor of a
church in Adairsville, and before
that preached at Lavonia.
Mr.. Davis first became unpopular
with some of the people here when
he started a newspaper, the Acworth
Progress, and through its editorial
columns began attacks on another
church. Rumors regarding his past
then began to CIRCULATE until the
church officials decided that an in
vestigation should be made
Ku Klux KAN Enters.
The affairs ncared crisis two
weeks ago, when meeting of the
Ku Klux Khan was held on the steps
Of the church, and word reached
the deacons that Mr.. Davis was
present and sanctioned the meet
ing. The pastor shortly afterward
received a visit from Deacon H. M.
Williams, who suggested that Mr.. Da-
Wis resign until rumors concerning
his past could be investigated, Mr..
Williams says that in reply the pastor
handed him a letter relative to the
incident.
several letters ABOUT Mr.. Davis.
which had come into the hands of the
church officials, were in the pres
ence of Mr.. Davis laid before a meet
ing of deacons July z. Resolutions
were passed debarring Mr.. Davis un-
til he could make his defense. Mr..
Davis served notice on the board that
he would make his defense before
the congregation.
Wednesday night when the cOngre-
cation was called to meet, it was stat
ed that Mr.. Davis had left on the
night train Tuesday, accompanied
by Mrs. DAVIS and their fiye-year-
old daughter. he is said to have de-
clared to people at the station that
he is coming back in September, and
that he was going to Texas to get
proof of the falsity of the charges
against him. On the books of the
church it was officially recorded that
'the church is not in peace and fell
lowship."
The evidence, consisting princi-
pally Of two letters, was placed be.
fore the congregation. The first let
ter purported to come from I. ID.
of Lavonia, and said that
some time ago, while Mr.. Davis was
services in Lavonia, a
woman from Texas recognized him
as a man sought by the authorities
of her state on charges of forgery
and embezzlement. The letter stat
ed that Mr.. Davis was carried back to
Texas, convicted of the charges and
given a suspended sentence.
The second letter, purporting to
come from j NJ Dowdy, of Bayshear,
Texas, stated that the writer was a
brother-in-law of Mr.. Davis, and that
the pastor had deserted his wife and
three children to run away with a
red-headed woman. The second let
ter confirmed the first, and gave De-
catur, Wise County, Texas, as the
town where Mr.. Davis was said to
have been convicted.
The Ku KluX letter, handed Dea-
con Williams by Mr.. Davis, was read
as follows:
'"To whom it may concern:
"It having been rumored that the
Baptist church of Acworth was used
for the purpose OF organizing a Ku
Klux Klan, it is my purpose to state
that. it is not true and
there was never any effort made in
Acworth to this end. We asked for
a place to explain the efforts of our
enemies to destroy the Christian re-
ligion and free public schools in
America. We asked at that time for
no one to join us. And said nothing
about memberships. Any person who
insists on lying about our intentions
and purposes will be visited sooner
or later. Baptist churches have been
used all over the United States for
speakers of the order and never be-
fore have we heard any complaint
against turning the light on
crookedness. The United States
officials from Washington, d. c., ex-