Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-05-02
Members Of Congrega-
ton Summoned to
Testify
REV. IRWIN RECOVERING
Saws Efforts Made for
Some Time to Run
Him Out
(By Associated Press)

LaWton, Okla., May, z-Ihe LdWIon
Presbyterian church controversy got
outside the confines of the church
today. County authorities took a
hand.
A civil court of inquiry was under
way directed by Fletcher Riley, coun-
ty attorney, who announced he would
go to the bottom of the whole dissen-
sion in an effort to determine the
identity of three men who last Satur-
day night abducted the pastor, the
Rev. Thomas J. Irwin, and threw him
in ditch beside road outside Law
ton, half conscious and securely tied
and gagged. Filing Of criminal char
ges, he said, would depend upon the
outcome of the investigation.
The county attorney started about
his inquiry today by preparing sub
poenas for about thirty persons who
had been suspended from Pastor Ir-
wins church. They were ousted by
| the church session or executive board,
with the sanction Of MIR. Irwin, and
have been aligned against the minis
ter in the movement to have him ex-
PEELED from the Lawton pulpit on for
NAL charges drawn up by the, govern
ing Ell Reno Presbytery.
| County Attorney Riley said all the
lsuspendsd lmeahAgs and anti-Irwin
Ifactionists would be interrogated
about the abduction of the pastor and
lit was indicated that each would be
asked to explain his whereabouts on
the night the alleged slugging and
kidnapping took place.
Pastor Irwin and three members of
the church session were called in last
night and questioned at length when
the county attorney decided to con-
vene the inquiry court.
| Their testimony was kept secret and
it was not known whether Mr.. Irwin
gave any clue to the identity of his
abductors. He has publicly stated
that he did not recognize the three
men.
| Speculation today eentered upor
whether Mr.. Irwin would submit tt
trial before commission appointed
by the Ell Reno Presbytery on charge:
of conduct unbecoming a minister.
The trial is set for May 9.
| The pastor asserted he was going
to carry his case before the Oklahom;
synod, and intimated he planned ;
strategical move.
Mr.. Irwin's mainstays in the dis
sension, which has been seething, il
the congregation for months, tn
members of the church session, re
signed yesterday after condemnini
the Presbytery for alleged "persecu
tion" of the pastor.
: They announced they were still il
the fight in support of the ministe
!, and that their withdrawal from tn
church and the Presbytery did no
, mean they had folded their tents.
= With new turn of events, observer
of the fray interpreted the predicte
: strategy was possibly refusal by tn
pastor to admit the state synod au
/. thority. Recourse to the civil court:
: where the pastor already has obtaine
e an injunction to prevent interference
: with his church, also was considere
b as choice of battle and another la
: in following the course of the exect
9 tive board in resigning, but still sticl
h ing by his guns on the Lawton bait
g gtground All this, however, was in Il
e nature of unofficial speculation befo,
e the agreements.
o A marriage bond tied by the paste
y at bathing pool; church movie exh
bitions, and remarks made by Il
pastor in his funeral sermon yei
ago over the body of the late Jake
te Hamon, Republican national commi
ID teeman from Oklahoma, are some
T. the seed from which the dissensi'
O. grew.