Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21
CANNON ACCUSED
IN NEW CHARGES
Four Elders File Papers
Against Bishop With Head
of Methodist Church.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE, September 2O.-The
Baltimore sun says the charges which
have been filed against Bishop James
Cannon, jr., of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South include new ones as
well as others which already have been
heard against the churchman.
The charges, the paper says, divide
themselves into three classes, as follows:
Charges based on personal conduct.
Charges based on Bishop Cannon's
participation in buying and selling of
stocks for speculative purposes through
a brokerage house in New York, later
held to have been bucketshop.
Charges based on Bishop Cannons
political activities and his participation
in the handling of money for political
campaign purposes.
Accused Last May.
Complaint was made against the
bishop at the general conference of the
church last May at Dallas on his stock
market activity and the Episcopacy
Committee voted not to bring him to
trial. He expressed contrition before
the entire conference and later was re-
elected chairman of the churchS board
of temperance, prohibition and public
morals.
His political activity was brought be-
fore the Senate Lobby Investigating
Committee, before which he refused to
answer questions on the disposal made
of S49,500 which he had received from
Edwin c. jameson of New York. The
committee dropped the inquiry with
out requiring him to answer the ques-
tons.
In neither of these Investigations was
any question raised concerning the
churchman's morals. In the new COM
plant filed with Bishop William N.
Ainsworth of Birmingham, however.
several counts are set forth based on
allegations published during July in
newspapers in New York. Philadelphia
and Washington, the paper says.
Made Personal Inquiries.
The Sun says the complaint filed with
Bishop Ainsworth is made up of all
charges rejecting on his worthiness
published or broadcast during the last
two years, and adds the four elders who
signed their names to the document
personally inquired into a number of
these accusations and held they have
sufficient substance to call for trial
by the general conference of the church.
Some weeks ago the four notified
Bishop Cannon, then in Brazil, they
had undertaken an inquiry into various
charges against him made in newspa-
pers and before the Episcopacy and
Senate Lobby Committees, the Sun says.
This action, it was held by the elders,
fulfilled the requirement of the church
code that the accused be notified that
his actions we're under scrutiny.
AS far as can be learned. the paper
declares, Bishop Cannon has ignored
this notice
The four elders who forwarded the
charges against Bishop Cannon were
Rev. Costen j. Harrell and Or. j. T.
Marston of Richmond. Rev. Forrest j.
Prettyman of Baltimore and DR.. I. P.
Martin of Abingdon, Va.
No Personal Feelings.
DR.. Prettyman, the Baltimore member
of the quartet which filed the charges,
tonight issued statement in which he
said he had no personal feeling against
Bishop Cannon, and took this action
because he believed at to be for the
best good OF the Methodist Church
South"
For the last two years charges of the
most serious nature have been made
against Bishop Cannon in certain places
and in the press, and allegations have
been published from which differences
have been made.
L DO not think these charges should
be permitted to go unexplained and
4 without investigation solely because OF
/ the effect it will have on our church
In joining with three other elders IN
presenting these charges for investiga-
tion under the procedure of our church
l did what I regarded as the proper
I thing TO do. and may I say that should
! all these charges and differences after
( thorough investigation be satisfactorily
explained none would be more delighted
/ than I nor would any rejoice more, he
1 said.
DR.. Prettyman said tonight it hao
/ been agreed to let Dr. Harrell make the
/ announcement for the group. He de-
clared that it would be unfair both tc
/ the church and to Bishop Cannon tc
make public the text of the charge;
filed with Bishop Ainsworth.
COMPLAINT is SECOND ONE.
/ Nv the Associated Press.