Arizona republican., 1922-05-01
AHOMA PASTOR
FOUND BOUND AND
GAGGED IN DITCH
CONTINUED from Page one)
one of the men say:
els do away with him now"

one of the men say:
Lets do away with him now.
Another member of the trio inter-
ceded for him with the words:
Don't kill him now. Give him one
more chance to get out of town.
A few minutes later, the Rev. r.
win said. he was thrown out OF the
machine into a mudhole at the side
of the road. There, he said, he lay
for three or four hours during which
time several persons in motor cars
answered his calls for aid but drove
away without helping him when they
learned his identity. He was found
hv his rescuers between 1880 and l
o'clock this morning. He apparently
suffered no i'll effects from the ex-
perfence. and returned to Lawton
early this morning.
ne reiterated that although the
three men were unmasked, he had no
idea who his abductors were and said
there was nothing he could do in
the matter until he found out their
identity"
The elders Of the presbytery held
meeting last Wednesday and after
hearing a committee which inYesti-
gated charges against the pastor, or
dered that he be tried May 9. Sew
pral men were appointed 10 EOnuuCA
the trial. A feature of the presby-
terry session was the presence of a
policeman.
Four formal charges were preferred
against the pastor. 1t was alleged
that he had outlived his usefulness
as a minister by being responsible
for alleged disorder and deplorable
conditions in his church.; that he
distributed a pamphlet reviewing the
history of the controversy, which, II
was charged. contained substance
.aunbecoming a minister; that mem
bers of his church had been suspend
IA without trial, and that he per-
Formed a marriage at public batn-
sray pool in which the principals were
Had in bathing suits casting "dlsre-.
spect" up on the presbyterian cnurcn'
Mr. irwin founded the First Pres
h,terian church here 20 years ago and
since that time has filled the pulpit
The bathing pool wedding had Its
clirnax in Oklahoma City yesterday
sWhen Helen Brainsfield, IL, the girl
bride. was granted a divorce. 1t was
,hrought out at the hearing that she
was married to Frank L. Wells, 4V
wears of age. by the Rev. Mr.. Irwin
lat the Medicine Park bathing pool
Hast summer during pleasure party:
II was testified that the girl ana
i wells wore bathing suits and that
thev had become united in a spirit OF
revelry. The wedding lasted only so
days however, and they separated.
The big storm that has split the
I.swton church came after Mr.. Ir-
win preached tho Hamon funeral SER
mon. Jake L. Hamon was eulogized
nv the pastor for many good quail
ties. especially his generosity. A
number Of the churehmen withdrew
over the incident. About a week ago
a first was discovered in an annex of
. the church which had been built by
Hamon. Irwin declared that efforts
also had been made to destroy the
motion picture equipment installed In
the church by Hamon.
Mr.. Irwin declared recently that
numerous efforts had been made 10
intimidate him and force him out OF
Iawton. He said three men con-
fronted him as he was leaving the
church on Sunday night last March
and at the point Of guns warned him
to get out of town. The pastor served
notice. nevertheless, that he in
tended to stick to the bitter end and
announced that he had obtained
permit to carry arms.
He characterized the charges
brought against him as trivial and
blamed intense bitter political feel
ing and enemies OF the church for
the situation"