Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-07-05
DODGE REPORT m
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
LITIGATION FILED
Judge, Sitting as Master, Ap-
proves and Confirms Position
OF ]. v. Dittemore.

Boston. Mass.-After over four wear
or litigation In the Christian Sclanc
Church, ex-Federal Judge Dodge .
Boston, sitting as Master under an
pointment Of the Supreme Judlcia
Court of Massachusetts, has fled M,
nnal report on the evidence. Th,
plaintiff, John V. Dittemore. the senio,
Director Of the Church, whose service
%antedates the decease Of Mrs Marv
Baker Eddy, and who his associate
sought to remove from Office. Seems
to have been completely justified In his
contentious that undesirable and mn
wholesome conditions have exlstad in
the administration Of the church gov
eminent.
Judge Dodge finds from the evidence
which includes testimony by the ma
Jority Directors themselves. that Mr.
Dittemore's dismissal was for the pur.
pose OF doing away with opposition to
the wishes OF the majority and also
because MFR. Dlttemore had sought N
establish a standard Of propriety and
conduct higher than desired by his ms.
sociates- II is also found that a prin-
cipal reason for the hostility TO Mr..
DfttemOre was because of his rebuk,,
to his associates on numerous occs.
sions when offensive language YIN
used and offensive jests made at meet.
ings OF the governing body of tbs
church. Judge Dodge holds that Mr..
Dittemore Is still legally a Director
and that the effort to remove him and
appoint a successor more sympathetic
with the policy of the board is legally
null and void.
In regard TO the illegality of Mr..
Dittemore's dismissal, Judge Dodge
says that no Director could fairly be
supposed to have accepted his posi-
ton upon the understanding that he
was subject to instant, arbitrary dis
missal whenever a majority of his as
might find 1t ~expedient. The
finds that the vote attempting
20 dismiss Hr. Dittemore was only the
adoption Of a conclusion previ-
agreed on outside the meeting
that 1t was for his associates, then :
him and at the same time pro /
,osing to also act as his judges, to I
lrord him such opportunity to be F.,
In his own defense upon the :
harges made as would satisfy the 70
Of natural Justice" He also .
-nds that the complaints against Mr.. !
)ittemore were not founded upon first 9
and knowledge and were inadequate f
round for any but a purely arbitrary o
ismissal." The Judge also finds that Ii
here was never any question az to Mr.. q
sincerity in maintaining his .
osition and that nothing said or done :
Y him In maintaining his opinions "
,uld have constituted adequate ground 8
pr Diminishing him, unless the major I
VS. power to dismiss could Ia wfully q
ave been used by 1t for the sole pur- b.
ose Of sitting any opposition in the n,
GARD to their wishes. l.
The Master declares that Direc- :,
RS Dickey. Neal. Merritt md Rath- "
IN were animated by personal hos
lity toward Mr.. Dirtemore and that N
Iey had long planned among them U
to get rid of him. One of the be
when bad feeling was engen- or
sred was when Dittemore refused TO -,
In Dickey, Neal, and Merritt In at- ~
nding a play In New York which y.
ittemore considered Objectionable and W
hich had as the leading player a N
OF notorious reputation. On to
is occasion Director Merritt testified ~,
at he urged Dittemore to accompany :,
and said: Come on with us. pI
)u are not so much better than the of
st of u.s. co
Judge Dodge also finds from the evil 1T
nee that There were occasions In "
II, 1918 and 1919 upon which, at
of the Directors, the plaintiff |
,ittemore) expressed disapproval Of an
terances by Dickey Of a kind toler- G
lie only when men only, and men not ?
sposed to be scrupulous In such maj. %,
rs, are the hearers-thereby arous- mi
z resentment on Dickey's part. and NJ
metlmes on the part of Merritt and
The testimony regarding 70
,ht or nine such Instances was taken mi
Judge Dodge In private. In regard 8 {
all of these occurrences Judge ~.
D,ttamors and othars incISd,na mi
e cross-examination of the defendant. pla
Dickey, Neal, Merritt and Of
thvon themselves, that Mr.. Ditto 7
res account of them was substan-
lily true and that his repeated in NO
tence upon a standard of proprlety uns
language or conduct stricter than he's
1t accepted by his associates mate -,
lily augmented their hostility and o0
like" gre
Judge Dodge concludes that Ditto No
co-Directors were incapable. MIA
March IL, 1919, of impartial judi ~
| consideration of accusations ~
inst him, especially of accusations to
by themselves, had they ever -
any such consideration"
the present time Christian Scien-
IS throughout the world are deeply !