Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-03
CANNON
FACES ACCUSERS
Officer Stationed Nearby as
Hearing 0pens-0nIy Result
to Be Learned.

Surrounded by the strictest secrecy
in a proceeding without parallel in the
history of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South in which he has so long
been power, Bishop JamesN Cannon,
ir., crippled by illness, today appeared
before an investigating board of fellow
clergymen to answer unannounced
charges.
Bishop Leaves Sick Bed.
AS the IL travelling elders who will
sit in judgment on the militant church
man were gathering at Mount Vernon
Place Church for the hearing, Bishop
Cannon, leaving a sick bed at Sibley
Hospital. came on crutches to the
church to confront his accusers. four of
the elders, DR.. Forrest j. Prettyman of
Baltimore, DR.. j. T.. Masten of Rich
mond, Dr. Costen j. Harrel of Rich
mond and DR.. I. P. Martin Of Abing-
don, Va.
The opening session lasted three
hours, and as adjournment was taken
for lunch at ! o'clock, it was announced
that the hearing would be resumed at
o'clock.
It was understood that the accusers
of Bishop Cannon did not complete
presentation of their case at the
opening session. -.
The bishop was in attendance
throughout, leaving as the ether
participants did.
Leaves by Front Door.
In comparison with his entry to the
church at the hearing, when he came
through rear door, avoiding news
papermen ana photographers, Bishol
Cannon used the main entrance In
leaving, his progress down the steps ano
to his car being accompanied by the
clicking of cameras.
He had nothing to say.
The nature of the charges has never
been made public, but their gravity is
evidenced by the fact that if two-ChirdS
of the IL men conducting the investi-
cation hold they are of merit, Bishop
Cannon will be suspended until the nexi
General Conference Of the church IN
| 1894, when he will be brought to trial.
At the General Conference in Dallas
last year, when critics of Bishop Cannon
had raised the issues of his political &C
tiyities as one of the anti-Smith leaders
| in 1928, and of his dealings in the
stock market, he rode VIGOROUSLY
through. For this reason, the opinion
has been expressed from a responsible
| quarter that the present charges go
beyond these matters.
Public Barred From Hearing.
It was thought that at the conclu-
sion of the present hearing some in
dication at least will be given as to the
accusations in connection with the YER
dict, but this will rest with Bishop w
N. Ainsworth of Birmingham, who Is
presiding at the hearing.
With newspaper men barred from the
church, Bishop Ainsworth met them
| this morning on the Mount Vernon
place portico of the structure and, first
prohibiting any photographs there, gave
out the following written statement:
This Is an ecclesiastical procedure
and will be conducted as the law OF
1.-THE church prescribeS Nothing will
be given to the public by me or any
one connected with the hearing during
its progress. 1t will last several days
and when conclusion is reached
will call representatives of the press
and give the results and the names Of
| those ministers who conducted the
hearing. w. N. AINSWORTH.
Nor would Bishop Ainsworth amplify
this in the slightest declining even tt
outline the procedure that will bt
followed.
Changes Not Argued.
Bishop Ainsworth presides by reason
of his having been presiding chairman
of the College of Bishops when thu
present charges were filed last Fall
He is being assisted by Bishop McMurr,
of Louisville and Bishop U. V. W. Oar.
lington of Huntington, w. Va. NBishor
Edwin Du Bose Mouzon of Charlotte
CONTINUED on PAGE 3. Column q