St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-04-14

pastor of Hunts church, Pilgri
with Mrs. Hunt. John De COu
Manley H. Frisch was Mrs. Hunts
attorney.
The divorce case opened Thurs
day, April 6. Sensational testi-
mony was offered which involved
the pastor. The case was continued
until Monday, April 10, to allow
Mrs. Hunt to secure a rebuttal from
Rev. Ware in her behalf. The min
lister was out of town when the case
began.
In addition to Hunts testimony
against the minister and his wife
three other witnesses cOrrObOrated
his statements.
Ware Tells Church About Case
Sunday morning, the Easter Sun
day congregation at Pilgrim was
startled when Rev. Ware asked at
the close of the services that men,
bers of the church remain, request
ing the many visitors to leave. He
brought up the subject of state
ments having been made about him
in the newspapers last year. He
said that such statements as had
been made were untrue. The meet
ing was discussed pro and con as
the people wended their way home.
Witnesses testifying for Mrs.
Hunt were Mrs. Naomi Kimbrough,
A. B. Parker and Mrs. Hunts sis
ter, Mrs. Lethia Jackson. Mr.. and
Mrs. Roger Bryant, roomers in the
Hunt home, and Mrs. Minnie Hunt,
the plaintiffs sister-in-law, testified
for Mr.. Hunt.
Three months ago Hunt, who is a
deacon at Pilgrim, offered his resig-
nation in a letter to the deacon
board. The board submitted his
resignation to the church but the
matter was returned to the board
which at this date has taken no
action. It is not known what
charges Mr.. Hunt made in his let
ter of resignation.
Hunts Statement
Mr.. Howard M. Hunt made the
following signed statement to this
newspaper, Tuesday, April II, 1914.
The statement follows:
"The Court awarded me an abso-
lutte divorce from my wife, Carrie
Hunt, Monday, April 10, 1914, on
the charges 1 had made and proved
by my witnesses, Mr.. and Mrs.
Roger Bryant, who reside in my
home and who have lived with me
about two years. Also Mrs. Minnie
Hunt, 442 st. Anthony, my broth
er's wife who has been frequent
visitor in my home. l charged
my wife with sexual relationship
in my home with Rev. S. E. Ware,
Pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church,
on several occasions. I further
charged and proved that Rev. S.
E. Ware had come to my home
as often as two or more times each
week, and at such times / would
be at work or away from home
of which he had complete knowl-
edge. Such visits to nv home by
Rev. S. E. Ware started shortly
after he married US, May z, 1913.
Only twice during this period did
S. E. Ware come to my home in
company with his wife. I further
charged and proved that Rev. S. E.
Ware engaged in liquor drinking
parties with my wife in my home,
as well as having been seen coming
out of my bed room located on the
second floor at such times when
my wife was in said bed room,
and when I was at work. I further
wish to state that Rev. S. E. Ware
was notified to appear in Judge
Michael's court room on the 18th
floor of the st. Paul Court House,
Monday, April 10th, 1914, at II
a. m, to answer as to the truth or
falsity of those charges, and that
Rev. S. E. Ware failed to appear to
defend himself against these
charges. That Mrs. Hunts lawyer
stated in court that Mrs. Hunt had
contacted Rev. S. E. Ware and ar
ranged for him to be there at II
a. m. That Rev. S. E. Ware failed
to appear in court after the court
waited about ten minutes additional
time for him. The Court then made
it's decision and granted me an
absolute divorce on the grounds for
which I charged. I agreed to pay
$4,000 to my wife at the rate of
$1,000 per month and $4,000 to her
lawyer at the rate of $4,000 per
month. All my property, home and
personals are to be retained by me.
A complete record of the trial will
be given to the newspaper for
publication at once"
Signed Howard M. Hunt,
Rev. Ware Makes Denial
Rev. Ware in a statement We'd
nesday night called the testimony
concerning him false and said "the
whole affair was deliberate frame
up"
Rev. Ware issued the following
statement Thursday:
To whom it may concern, this is
to certify that as Pastor of the
Pilgrim Baptist Church, I feel it
my righteous duty to issue a state
ment at this time in behalf of the
good name and integrity of the
Deacon Board, the Church and my
self.
In reference to the accusations
made in the case of Howard Hunt:
Howard Hunt first filed for a d.
vorce from his wife on the grounds
of cruel and inhuman treatment,
as you who read the papers recall,
after finding that his charges were
too thin to get action, he decided
to change his story. He then ac-
cused me in the Deacon Board
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