Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-01
Imperial KledgIe
Ousted From, Church


Conversational Methodist Publishing
House, Of which Clarke was treasurer
and business manager, counsel for the
creditors alleged in open court that
Clarke had sold stock in the corpor-
alton on the basis of statement Of
assets prepared by him showing paper
value Of S151 ,968. .05 thnt be had dis
posed Of this stock. although he knew
u was not worth the paper il was
printed on to any and all persons who
would put up property or notes on
which loans could be secured at banks.
and that he had taken the home Of
q person who believed what he said
concerning the financial strength Of
the Congregational Methodist Pub
fsbing House.
At the end of the proceedings the
referee in bankruptcy filed with the
court final report. which stated the
amount realized from the liquidation
OF all assets entering into his bands
was S17S3. .35. ont Of which creditors
were compensated at the rate OF two
and a half cents on each dollar Of their
claims.
Eight Charges Heard
Eight counts were embraced in the
charges brought against Clarke nt
bis ecclesiastical trial They were
lying, extortion. fraudulent and UNJUST
dealings. improper banding of funds,
false and malicious Slnndpr. inordI
nate ambition. INSTRUMENTATION and
hypocrisy and treachery. Each
count was supported by numerous
specifications OF unchurchly and un
Christian conduct Presentation Of
them to the church meeting was pref.
aced by statement by the Rev
Roife Hunt then pastor of the
church and NOT Of Enterprise. Miss
Mr.. Hunts statement said:
1T Is with the greatest pain and
regret that ] charge that Edward Young
Clarke's conduct has been characterized
by such fragrant falsehood and duplC-
ity and other conduct unbecoming n
Christian and member of this church
that In my opinion his speedy trial and
expulsion become matter Of necessity
TX the character of our church is to be
maintained and its interests az a church
protected.
Under the charge Of lying. twenty
specific ofenses were alleged. count No
is being:
Claiming while in Texas TO have
occupied Gradys place on the Con.
Etitution,' the reference being 10
Henry W. Grady. who was famous
throughout the South as an orator and
as editor of the Atlanta Constitution.
on which paper Clarke was once en-
pioyed as religious reporter.
Falsincation Charged
Another specification cited in SUD.
port of the charge Of lying was that
Clarke had claimed to he in charge Of
the national headquarters Of the Con
gregationaI Methodist Church. or TO
have THE indorsement or support Of
the Church to this end
Under the charge Of oxtortion the
specification was taking loan notes
from persons in MiSsssippi in favor Of
the Atlanta Bible School under the rep
resentation that they would never be
:. called on or required TO pay same. and
then placing and leaving same with
bankers as collateral until the persons
were compelled to either pay or suffer
great annoyance and damage to their
> credit and reputation. representing to
others who We're officers Of the school
and to other parties that said notes
were donations until il was too late
for them to counteract the damage re e
ferred to-
Under the charge Of fraudulent and
unjust dealing there were thirteen spec F.
ihcations, alleging that Clarke had been
guilty of various sorts of irregular
financial conduct in both his official and
private life. Failure TO pay a board
bill was one count cashing worthless
general juggling of money matters
were others.
Failed TO Turn in Funds"
Under the charge Of improper handling
OF funds it was specifically alleged that
Clarke indorsed and collected checks
made out to the Atlanta Bible School
when he was not officially connected
with said school and had neither legal
nor moral right to make said collections
and failed TO turn in the funds col
lected."
Five specifications supported the
charge Of false and malicious sIander :;
one each the charges of inordinate am
bition and insubordination, while un-
der the final charge Of ''treachery and
Hypocrisy fourteen ofPnses were al.
legged. Under hypocrisy" these speci-
hcations declared
Such a disgusting mixture Of pro
fessions and practices and vanity and
ambition and fraud and Injustice that
some at least find 1t impossible 10 trust
him or have any confidence in any pro.
fessions which he does or may make ="
Denied Charge
At the church trial Or. r. & Mad.
der, an aged member. presided the
pastor, in conjunction with an inves-
tigating committee, composed Of J. n.
Elders and J. 5. Leggett. preferred the
charges and specifications and Clarke
was present with some friends. stem
ographer and Judge Robert l.. Rogers
as counsel.
Clarke read Il lengthy statement max
ing fat but unspecifcd denial of all the
charges; threatening to hold crminally
liable every person who voted in the
meeting or was instrumental in tho pub.
lication of the charges, and asking for
thirty days extension Of time This re
quest was denied. the ruling being thar
he had been served with a copy Of the
charges by the church committee and
given ample time 10 prepare his de-
fense. Request by Judge Rogers 10 ad .
dress the congregation was denied on
the ground that he was NOT a member
of the church. The trial proceeded and
kat its end the church voted TO exprl
Clarke from membership. The whole
proceeding was fully reported to the
local papers, and as stated. CIarke
never instituted either criminal or civil
proceedings as a result Of the publica
ton of the charges and the resultant
vote.
Bankruptcy Case
A second chapter in Clarke's past life
IA found set down in the ba nkruntcv