Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-08-02
SAYS ACCUSED
INNOCENT


press my deepest sympathy for Mr..
Persons family. l promptly wlreo
my sympatmes to Mrs. Plerson out
regret 1 could not get to the funeral
A gentleman present informed me
tnaC the obituary stated that some
one whose accounts Mr.. Pierson had
audited was responsible Tor ms
death. This brother tod me ne eaA-
ed DIR. Williams attention to this
but he SAID the family had right
so say what they thought. wish 70
say that / have especially deeply
syInparnlzed with Mrs. Plerson IN
her auhcton, tor she was entitled TO
better advce than was given ner by
trusted friends. She would on doubt,
have been thankful for the right al
wee. But instead OF bread, she was
gwen a stone. l hold her pastor ana
ms assistant responsible Tor the
course she pursued. Her pastor had
already expressed the benet, am
renaoly informed, that the crime was
chargeable to Nashville, and the eVl
genius at the Nashville end Will ten
you the same, ii you press him nard'
The conSplratorS against the lie
of Dr.. Townsend left nothing undone
to tasten the crime upon a man VINO
Is TOO gentle and kind to believe al
conspiracy was directed against MIN
wnen an attempt was made to assaS-
sinate him last year. In fact, Dr.
Townsend is so guileless and con-
hiding that he can hardly believe men
hhave conspired to kill HIM and some
&Apdy else must come to his defense
Firht, the charge was for Jug
Cling" $4,000. They knew that could
ont begin to be sustained for never
once IN all his years Of service, did
Mr.. Pierson ever charge DR.. Town
send with dishonesty or graft. His
reports are published in the annual
minutes of our Convention, both the
regular and the supplementary re-
ports, and the reader can search the
reports for himself. Mr.. Persons
only charge ever lodged against Dr..
Townsend was ineficiency and lack
of ability to manage the Boards bus
mess 20 the best advantage. For
instance, his report on the matter I
the $4,000 simply voiced his con-
viction that the money could nave
been borrowed by paying less be-
nus, but he approved the loan at
the beginning. However, Mr.. Pier
son had no experience at all In bor-
rowing money for our Hoard IN
Nashville, and wise men did ont w0r-
nv over the charge. In fact, Dr.
Townsend co-operated beautifully
with Mr.. Pierson. They were in con-,
ference frequently and DR.. Town
send even shared with him his eXecu-
tive duties in his effort to cooperate
with him. DR.. Townsend arranged
that Mr.. Pierson should deliver lee
tures in the chapel each Wednesday
on efficiency and allied subjects, and
upon more than one occasion, Dr.
Townsend has told the employees TO
heed the instruction and dlrectlon
of Mr.. Pierson for they were ootn
agreed.
But we must not misinterpret our
late auditor, for we do him an IN
Justice to represent him as reporting
DIR. Townsend as being dishonest IN
any respect or of grating the
funds of the Board. Of course, do
not knw what he may have reported
to DIR. Williams unofficially. but his
recommendation only became eff
fective upon being apprved by the
Convention. l do not think ne wound
make a public report and then back
behind that, submit another report
stultifying himself. Thus the jug
Cling could not be depended upon TO
depose DR.. Townsend. Then | the
Nashville evil genius had the al
frontery to start the rumor that Dr.
Townsend was grating worse tnan
DIR. Boyd ever did, while this same
man is q worse man in that respect
than DR.. Boyd ever was, and the
Convention owed it to our CONSTITUENT
cy to thoroughly investigate LII.
Isaac.
The murder charge based upon
the "iuggling" charge has failed, and
now the charge is rebellion and con-
spiracy on the part the Sunday
Scohool Publishing Board, something
new and different from the murder
and "juggling". Does not this show
conclusively purpose to destroy
DR.. Townsend one way if not anoth-
err? I, myself, and not a member ct
this Board now, though l was a
charter member. When ! entered the
service of the Board, ! thought it
proper to give up membership IN
no...l n,,I summarized CnnXpn-