The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 22, 1896, Page 10

10 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22. 1896. BROWN OUSTED BY THE CONFERENCE, The Pastor Is Suspended Until- Suspicion Is | Removed. | SCATHING RESOLUTIONS. Friends of the Convicted Minis- ter Listen to His Plea for Life. | HIS LONE GALLANT FIGHT. A Scene of the Wildest Confusion Fol'ows the Announcement of the Verdict, WHEREAS, In the matter of the ecclesiastical council called by the First Church of San Francisco to consider charges and rumors affecting the moral character and ministerial | standing of their pastor, sittings of which council extended over a period of time from February 18 to March 17, 1896, the findings of said council have left the character and stand- ing of Rev. C. O. Brown, pastor of said First Church of San Francisco, still under grave suspicion and doubt; First—In respect to his explanation of pay- ing & certain sum of money to Mrs. Mary A. Davidson. Second—In respect to the seriously impaired testimony by which the incriminating force of the Overman-Tunnell letters has been met. Third—In respect to the strange and appar- ently significart absence of the receiver of the letters, which added to the council’s embar- rassment in their effort to ascertain the truth; and, WHEREAS, It appears from said findings that the Rev. C. O. Brown in at least one instance | is found guilty of having violated all rules | which should control the actions of a gentle- man and a Christian minister; and whereas, | no Christian church or body of Christian churches can live in self-respect or the world’s | respect, or can be free from complicity of evil | if it allows itself to sustain in good standing a | pastor whose reputation is so clouded and | whose conduct is so reprehensible; therefore Resolved, That the Rev. C. O. Brown ought to be and hereby is suspended from membership | in this the Bay Conference of Congregational | churches and ministers until such time as in | the judgment of this conference he shall have lifted from himseli the burden ot susbicion and doubt now resting upon his reputation | and sh have proved himself worthy to be ored to the fellowship of the churches. i By a vote of 49 to 32, the above preamble | and resolution were adopted by the Bay | Conference yesterday. i or ten long hours the partisans and enemies of Dr. Brown struggled for the The accused pastor made an eloquent and earnest appeal to his breth- ren not to do the thing which meantso | much to him—more than bis life in fact. His words fell on dull ears, however. Those who opposed him could not be| changed by the utterances of so elcquent a speaker as the convicted and now con- | demned man. They had already agreed | in their own minds how they would vote and nothing could change them. When the verdict was announced pan- | demonium seemed to break loose and Val- I Brown, the pastor’s son, went into rics, and threatened Dr, McLean with bodily harm. It was with difficulty that he could be restrained by Dr. and Mrs. Brown. One woman flew at Dr. McLean and in- voked the curse of God on_his head. Out in {he corridor men cursed and raved and | swore that they would not submit to the | outrage. It was a most remarkable scene, | and one that will live long in the annals of | Congregationalism. From the moment the conference was called to order until the hour of final ad- journment Dr. Brown was subjected to a Tunning, scathing fire of rebuke and gen- | erally harsh criticism. It is not asserting too much to say thatnoman, whether minister or ayman, was ever calld upon to face such a general condemnation. ! Those who spoke for him did =0 ina | half apologetic sort of way, while those ! who opposed him minced not their words, nor hesitated over their delivery. They looked the doctor square in the eye— sometimes 1n pity and then again inscorn, but at ail times honestly and iearlessly. Through it all Dr. Brown never flinched. True, at times his cheeks paled a little ol flushed, accordinfi to the force of wha was said, but further thgn this he gave no outward signs of discornfiture. Once or twice his lip curled, followed quickly by | the flashing of his eye in a most ominous | way. Pastor Brown has frequently demon- strated that he is possessed of an iron nerve, not unmixed with that kind of audacity which often passes for the genu- ine article. Yesterday he gave a magnifi- cent exhibition of the combination—a dis- play of audacious nerve which commanded | the admiration, if not the respect, of those who fought him most bitterly. When all this bas been said—his ap- | parent coolness and defiant attitude, the paling or flushing of his cheek, the fiash- ing of his eye—Dr. Brown showed in many ‘ways that the situation bore heavily upon him. At the noon hour he talked with his friends, confidently and outwardly caim. : . His face was pinched and drawn, how- ever, while his mustache seemed to take a heavier droop than ever. Dr. Brown and his lady. friends came early. They occupied one entire side of the church and on many occasions inter- rupted the speakers with some harsh criti- cism. The full day’s proceedings will be found below. Promptly at 9:30 o’clock Moderator Cruzan called the conference to order. Rev. Mr. Hatch read the minutes of he last meeting, that portion relating to Dr. | Brown precipitating a general discussion out of which grew the following motion, introduced by Dr. Willie, which was passed unanimously 2 Inasmuch as reference has becn made before | this body to rumors of untrutafulness on the | part ot Rev. Dr. C. 0. Brown touching the | sending of dispatches East comcerning the | Tesnlt of the Iate council, ard perhaps other | matters, I move that at this time Dr. Brown have opportanity to_state just what he did in these matters and why he did it. Before asking the council to pass on his motion Dr. Willie said: “I make this motion, in the first place, as a matter of ‘privilege,” because, as Dr. Brown claims, injustice hias been done him by a gross misrepresentation of facts, giv- ing him the right to the floor at any time, if he chose to assert it. to make explana- tion and vindicate himsels, “He has not asserted that right, but I thought it would be more kindly and fra- ternal in a Christian body like this to open to him the opportunity to state the facts as they occurred, with the reasons for then. “I make the motion, in the next vlace, that we ourselves may know the facts, I want to know them; you want to know | | { ministerial standing of thelr pastor, s s | of which council extended over a period of | less by a them. We need to get them at first hand: “Since we are to take action of the ver: gravest importance we need, first of all, to know the fruth. ““Therefore, not only in justice to Dr. Brown, but for our information, I move, as a question of privilege, that Dr. Brown | have this opportunity now.” Dr. Brown, in that quick, firm way which is so peculiarly his own, then ad- dressed the conference. After thanking the members for the privilege of explain- ing bis recollection of sending the dis- ratches, he said among other things: “I had no desire or intention of deceiving any one. When the findings of the council were | handed me I was in close consultation witn friends—Mr. Merrill, Mr. Nagle, Dea- con Morse, J. V. Kimbail and my son. We read them over, and then some one suguested that it was an acquittal. We read it a second time, after which Mr. Kimball said we would go to the telegrapn office. Our object was not to send a false telegram, but to see that a garbled report was not made.’’ At this point Dr. Brown read the affida- vit of Nagle, Kimball and himself, which has already been published. “*Now in reference to the private tele- grams,” continued Dr. Brown, “I sent one to Mr. Gates of Kalamazoo, reading ‘ac- | quitted of all charges.” I also sent one to my father and my three sons. Mr. Cole had told me that the entire findings of the council would be sent East. What hope did I have to deceive any one when I knew the papers would be'at the break- fast-table of every citizen in the land the next morning. I sent thistelegram to my father to give | relief to agonized hearts. ~After getting home it occurred to me that my telegram | to Mr. Gates might be misconstrued. The | next morning I was relieved to wet a tele- | gram from the editor of the Kalamazoo | Telegram asking for fifty words.” | The speaker then read the telegram sent | to the Kalamazoo paper, which stated that | he was acquitted on the main charges aad | mildly censured for hasty words spoken to a young lady. : ardly had Dr. Brown finished his ex- | planation when Judge Havens addressed the chair. He stated that, as the repre- sentative of others, he desired to present the following preambie and resolutions: WHEREAS, In the matter of the ecclesiastical council cailed by the First Congreg: Church of San Francisco to consider ch and rumors affecting the moral character and ings time from February 18 to March 17, 1 findings of sald eouncil have left the character and standing of Rev. C. O. Brown, pastor or | said First Church of San Francisco, still under grave suspicion and doubt: First—In respect to his explazation of paying acertain amount of money o Mrs. Mary A, Davidson. Second—In respect to the seriously impaired testimony by which the incriminating force ot the Overman-Tunnel letters has been met. Third—In respect to the strange and appar- ently significant absence of the receiver of the lezters, which added to the council’s embar: rassment in their effort to escertain the trut! and Whereas, It appears from such findings that the Rev. C. 0. Brown, 1n_at least one instance, | is found guiity of having violated all rules | which should control the actions of a gentie- man and & Christian minister; and wiereas, no Christian churen or body of Christian churches can live in self-respect or the world’s respect, or can be free from complicity with evil, if it allows itself to sustain in good stand- | ing a pastor whose reputation is so clouded acd whose conduct is so reprenensible; there- fore ba it Resolved, That the Rev. C. 0. Brown ought to be and hereby is suspended from membership in this the Bay Conference of Congreational Ministers uutil such time as in the judgment of this conference he shall have lifted from | himselt the burden of suspicion and doubt | now resting upon bis reputation and shall have proved himself worthy to be restored to the fellowship of the churches. Several members rese to their feet at | once, the chair finally recognizing Rev. J. | D. Foster, who moved the adoption of the | | report of the committee on credentials. | Foster began a defense of Dr. Brown, but was cut short by the moderator announc- ing that the motion to adopt the report of the committee was laid on the table a week ago and could not be considsred un- motion to that effect was passed. Rev. Mr. Hatch then moved the adoption of Judge Haven’s resolution, seconded by a dozen or more. There was a lot of par- liamentary sparring, which tinally sifted down to an_expression of opinion from every member present concerning the guilt or innocence of Dr. Brown. Judge Haven reviewed the scandal from | the moment it became public property to | the present. He said it wasthe duty of the conference to take some action on the matters left unsettled by the council. | There was a conviction abroad tnat the subject matter had not been thoroughly considered by that body. Mr. Coombe did not_tbink it right for members of the council to impugn their wn verdict. It was like a jury, finding | that their verdict bad not met popular favor, coming together again for tke pur- i pose of cianging it. Rev. Mr. Willett followed in a heated speech in_which he said that Phillip drunk and Phillip sober were entirely dif- ferent persons. ~He then attacked the council in a general way, finding particu- lar fault Wi[g certain members who now sought to down Brown. Rev. Mr. Hatch of Berkeley, pale with suppress excitement, immediately caught the moderator’s eveand advancing | to the front of the rostrum said: “Phillip drunk would like to speak,” said_Mr. Hatch from his position on the platform. “Phillip is very sorry that he was sober when he was a member of the council. He is sorry that he was not drunk then, if he is now. I went into the council prejudiced in favor of Dr. Brown. 1 did everything I couid to produce the verdict that was rendered by the council nd I feel sure that I was influential in some way in bringing it about. I went there to see that everything that couid he said and done in his favor should be said nd done. “1 have leaned back against that evi- | dence from the start with all my strength, but in spite of that the testimony produced before the council has pushed me gradu- ally over the hill until, as I stand bere to- day, 1 believe that upon the evidence be- fore the council, before any body of men, intelligent and unprei;miced, in this coun- try or any other, Dr. Brown would be con- | victed of the principal charges presented to | that body. I think that if I could go through the evidence here I could show to | any such intelligent body of men precisely this fact.” At this point Dr. Brown rose to a point of order, contending that it was a time- honored custom amounting practically to an_established fact.in law, that no jury- man be allowed toimpugn his own verdict. | “This is just what this brother is doing,” added the doctor, “he is impugning nis own verdict.” “I have not changed my verdict,”” said Mr. Hatch, in reply. “Concerning the theory that a man is assumed to be inno- cent until proven euilty, it does not fit this particular case. Dr. Brown was presumed to be innocent, yet there are two thi gs admitted by him, which are presema*m this resolution. First, the paymeut of a certain sum of money to Mrs. Davidson. Now the council was not satisfied with an explanation offered them. “In the second place, thereare the Over- man-Tunnell letters, whether genuine or forged. If genuine they are the most damining documents ever aimed at any man. Now, there were two things the council had to contend with. The burden of explanation and essential justice nat- urally fell on Dr. Brown. I tried with all my might to believe the story of Miss Overman. If you cannot believe the story of this woman, then you must take the letters. If you do this, there is but one conclusion to be drawn—the burden of proof must lie on Dr. Brown. ““Lhe verdict of the council is not dis- credited by any member of the council. [ should not want that sort of verdict hang- ing over me, I can tell you that.” Rev. S. M. Freeland claimed that the matter had now become a blot on Congre- gationalism. Dr. Brown had admitted sufficient to make his position questiona- ble. Hehad been censured by the coun- cil and it was the duty of the conierence to suspend bim until he should prove his innocence. C. H. Shinn, member of the First Con- ¥ rplace nis hand on the Bible and swear Rev. William Rader held that Dr. Brown was not on trial, but every minister of the church. He had grown to love Dr. Brown, but all personal feeling must be laid aside. At this point the conference adjourned until 1:30 p. M. 3 At the opening of the afternoon session Rev. Mr. Halleck of Tacoma moved that each speaker be limited to ten minutes. Considerable discussion followed, resulting in the motion being laid on the table. Dr. Brown then moved that the time be ex- tended to twelve minutes; carried. J. L. Barker of Berkeley then followed in one of the strongest speeches of the day. He said: - Our Bay Conference is to-day confronted wi a question of such vital impor that it behooves | us to proceed with the utmost care in our de- liberations. At the same time wemust assume the grave responsibility incumbent upon us and meet the issue as Caristian men and women, It isour duty to sustain the good name of the church of our divine Master and Temove any stigma brought upon the church | by any man, be he layman or preacher, who | shall be guilty of conduct unbecoming a fol- | lower of him whose name we bear. Such & | state of affairs exist to-day in the charges pre- ferred against Rev. C. O. Brown, at present oc- | cupying the pulpit of the First Church, San | ‘rancisco. e gladly vote for the vindication of Dr. Brown did I believe nim innocent, but the | evidence is altogether against him, and, in my | opinion, had the evidence of Mrs. Brown been | eliminated at the time of his trial before the | council and certain information received | since I believe he would have been convicted on the main charge, s her testimony certainly had great weight with the council. ~This testi- | mon by recent evidence is seriously im- en, the motion before us of suspension is conference is as mild as we could v make it, for he has shown himself by acts unworthy to occupy the Christian PR fas been guilty of conduct unbecoming in & Christian gentleman, and while preaching ce to_his flock he has shown himsell seufish in that he has shown him- £ to wreck our mothet church in e himself. 1 believe that Dr. Brown, because of his acknowledged ability, is & most dangerous man; he has strong points and many weak ones. Certain infirmities of temper, over which he seems to exercise no control, render- ing him capable of doing great injury to the cause of Jesus Christ; he also possesses a most remarksble power, the nature of ch is a mystery none can understand, by which he has been able in more than one instance (by & wave of the hand as it were) toinfluence a complete retraction of statements made against him Brethren, these things render him capable of doing great harm to our cause, and we owe it to ourselves, to the community at large, and more than all else to the cause of our Divine Master, to remove frem ministerial standing as far as we are able this man who has given our church such a staggering blow that it will take five years to recover. The church cannot afford to be weak-kneed on this matter. De- cisive action is demanded of this conference here and now. How can you ask business men to contribute money to build churches and carry on the | work, when you permit such a man to goon unrebuked, who has damaged the cause by un- | doing the work of years? This is not the'time | for temporizing; it is the time for action. Deacon I. H. Morse was the next | speaker. He said that he came as an | otficer of the church. He was glad that | some one had preferred charges, because | they now had some tangible basis for slan- der. ““Would I travel this continent from sea to sea if 1 thought Dr. Brown guilty 2’ he continued. *“I have for fourteen years fought for the purity of the pulpit and wiil continue to do so. I know thatDr. Brown is an innocent man, and I will stick to him if I have to s:and alone.” Other members of the conference made short speeches for and against the resolu- lution ~ submitted by Judge Havens. George Gaden, delegate froma the new Cooper Congregational Church, made a fiery talk in which he stated that not nearly all the members of the First Church were desirous of having Dr. Brown con- tinue as pastor. He unrolled a long list, said to contain 194 names, and he added that there were over 100 more who did not | sign from fear of petty persecution. Brown made a motion that Gaden be | compelled to produce the names of the alieged dissatistied members, but the rey- erend gentleman failed to get a second. He alleged that some names on the list were frauduient and he had reasons to believe there were many others. At this point Rev. F. B. Perkins deliv- ered himself of a stirring speech against | the resolution as proposed, offering the foliowing as a substitute: ‘“That in view of the widespread painful | questionings and uncertainty which pre- vails in all communities where reports of | the magters involved in_this inquiry and | of Dr. Brown’s present inability to %o ex- plain them as to afford grounds for public confidence in bis Christian character and | worthiness to stand forth as an accredited | minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, this | conference urges Dr. Brown kindly but | earnestly to withdraw from the pastorate of the First Cougregational Church of San Francisco and from the ministry of the word until such time as God by his provi- dence shali vindicate his good name, and restore him to public confidence, | “That in the event of Dr. Brown’s refusal to act upon the advice of the conference, it must decline to recognize himasa Chris- tian minister, or in any way to become responsible for his ministerial standing until such time as his worthiness of such recognition and support has been proven.” The substitute failed to arouse sufficient enthusiasm to call for a second. Dr. McLean followed in alengthy speech, in which he severely scored Dr.” Brown, saying: *I hiope 1 may be credited with absolute sincerity when 1 say that my position is most painful. Istand here only because of the most intense loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ—loyalty to truth. When in the early part of the year Dr. Brown came into the Monday Club and asked for con- tinued faith, [ asked that it bs accorded him. Laterwhen the startling disclosures were made in the press I was shocked. He told me that if given an opportunity he would clear himself. His attorneys at that time would not allow him to speak. 1 went with the council, believing that all would be right, but later, like a big biack serpent, the disgusting details came out.” | Dr. McLean then reviewed the calling of the council and its verdict. He spoke of the mysterious disappearance of Mrs, Tunnell and expressed it as his opinion that it was concocted in Brown’s house- hold. The speaker also referred to the way in which the accused man dropped the prosecution of Mrs. Davidson in the criminal courts. In a quietly sarcastic way he went over the testimony of Miss Overman, paying particular atténtion to | that young woman’s explanation of the Overman-Tunnell letters. He said there was not a peson in San Francisco who had not read these letters. At this point Dr. Brown’s lady friends, including Mrs. Rogers and Mae Dj rose en masse and loudly protested tha they had never read them. Dr. McLean was not the least disconcerted over this spontanecus outburst, but continued un- ruffled his scathing denuciation of the pastor. Deacon Dexter, Rev. Mr. Flawith and Rey. L. L. Wirtfollowed in short speeches, The latter said that if Dr. Brown wouid that he was innocent he would believe him. - Some one [suggested that the accused man hau done this before the council, but the remark was lost in the confusion of a motion to adjourn until 7 o’clock. At the evening session Revs. Mr. Chap- man, Mr.. Tubos, Dr. Mooar, Dr. Wiiliams and Deacon Dewing followed in similar | speeches. i Dr. Foster then moved that the general debate close with a statement from Dr. | Brown. That gentleman said: | *‘We'are nearing the.close of a memor- able debate, the issues of which, in the solemnity of this hour, I would have you understand is life or death, I am not here toimpugn the motives of any, though I have often wondered how my brothers would have felt under similar circum- stances. I have wondered if the harsh words could have fallen so easily from their lips if they haa been placed where I am now. “With all deference to the interpreta- tion of this document made by some of my brethren here to-day, I must express my wonder at their action in impugning grezational Church, said it was well known that when a criminal makes his defense on technical grounds the public looks upon him as guilty, whether he is or not. it and their interpretation of it. The pub- -lic at large interpreted this document as an acquittal. Both my friends ana my foes so understood it and interpreted it. i | are meeting over my head. | my brethren in the ministry be honest? | Miss Overman’s departure is another mat- | against me would not, in their opinion, The secular press took this view, as did also the religions press wherever it chose to mention the matter at all.” The reverend doctor then proceeded to read a number of editorials from religious papers; also letters from the Rev. T. O. Douglass of Iowa and other well-known clergymen, all of which tendeded to sus- tain the view that the verdict of the coun- cil was an acquittel, “Iam charged,” the doctor went on, ‘“ywith having a very peculiar temper, but under circumstances such as those under which I am laboring I hope Christian charity may find some excuse for me in case I 'display some feeling over an affair which so nearly and seriously affects me. The charges of adultery were not sus- tained. The other charges hinged more or less| ugon it, yet the evidence failed to sup- port the atrocious accusation. What right, then, had my brother of Plymouth Con- gregational Church to assail me here as he did not dare to do during the council? “‘Such a proceeding is unexampled in the history of Congregationalism. Never has a Congregational conference been erected into a court of final appeal. Con- grezationalism has no permanent court of adjudication. In this it differs from Methodism and Presbyterianism. Yet I doubt whether in any Presbyterian or Methodist tribunal I could be held guilty, especially considering the forlornly flimsy character of the evidence adduced against me, “By the interpretation placed upon the verdict this afternoon, every ray of hope has been blotted out from ‘my path. The clouds of duplicity, juggling and hatred Why cannot When they said in their verdict that they hoped that I might be even more fruitful and useful in the vineyard of the Lord, what did they mean? 1f they meant that I was to bo useful in a law-office, or fruit- fulin my gains as a vender of merchan- dise, then their words of hope and cheer are a damnable and most heartless decep- tion, and = bitter, mocking sarcasm. *‘Now there are some of my dear breth- ren who were in the council who have been honest enougn to-day to say that they have reversed their decision. Yet strange to_say these men are of the same opinion with those who have not changed at all. If they have been influenced by the opinions of others then indeed they have done a most unworthy thihg. Public opinion is a dangerous judge. St. Paul at Lystra and Derbe was ‘stoned by the ver- dict of public opinion. *‘The same tribunal cast him into the Mamertine prison. Great great men in church and state have suffered much from public opinion. “How unfair 1s the remark that the charges against me have never been dis- proved. Ianswer that they have not heen roved. The charge of adultery preferred v the white-haired slanderer and black- mailer was the only definite one, and that was not sustained. It is referred to only for the purpose of wounding me. Wounds are oftimes deep and painful, but no wounds can compare with those dealt by a brother’s hand. “As to the $500, I was undergoing an ordeal of the severesi character. I had enemies who were hounding me to the very death, The worst of these threatened to expose me to the odium cf a sworn charge of adultery attested to by three female witnesses.” Under the influence of this fear I did what at the moment seemed best. I paid the money first, to stave off a horrible, false accusation; second, to secure some evidence against the skilled criminal who bluckmaiied me. I also hoped to get the money back eventually. “Miss Overman’s testimony bore the stamp of truth. She said much in her own disfayor, and it must have cost her a great effort. The Overman-Tunnell letters were forged and altered, and what is there strange about it? The trick a well- worn one among criminals of the stamp of Mrs. Davidson. Mrs. Tunnell’s absence is also regarded as a very strange and mys- terious affair, but I cannot be expected to answer for any one’s goin:s and comings. | ter which has called forth much severe | criticism. { “But if ever a woman was hounded out | of a city she was. Her work over, she went, leaving a note for me and Mrs. Brown, saying that she would seek Mrs. Tunnell. “No less than four Judges of the civil courts have assured me that tue evidence | have been sufficient to bind me over from alowerto a higher tribunal. Some members of the council assured me that they were looking for evidence to condemn me. The very sexton of my church was even asked as to the pesition and condition of a bed- lounge in my office. The brother who spoke to him on such a topic micht have had the sexton called before the council since he could say nothing against me. I defy any one to prove that have gone | from house to house trying to prevent wit- nesses from testifying before the council.”” ““How about Mrs. French?” asked the Rev. Mr. Flawith. “I did not attempt to keep her from testifying,” answered Dr. Brown shortly, “and if I did why is she not here to say 502" B eacon Crawford and Deacon Williams made some inaudible remarks, apparently by way of encouragement. Deacon Morse also gave a brief account of the Davidson trial in the Superior Court, tending to prove the absence of all collusion on Dr. Brown’s part. “During this terrible day your words of hatred and ill-will have seared deep down in my heart like the hot irons of inquisi- tors.” Not a kind, a generous, a Christian word was spoken for me. You, Deacon Williams, who tramped the streets of San Krancisco seeking for evidence to damn and ruin me, could you not afford to say one word of kindness for me?"” < “I never soucht for any evidence against you,” protested Deacon Williams, rising from his seat in great perturbation. “You who have condemned me,” went on the pastor, disregarding the deacon’s interpolation, “till the day of judgment you will never know what I' have endured at the hands of fellow Christians. Jews &nd atheists have consoled me where my brethren in the ministry have failed me. And now what path opens before me if you condemn me on suspicion? Ionce learned how to shoe horses, perhaps I could do it again. ““In case of war I could fight for my country as I did before some of you who now turn from me were even born; as I fought while others of you who look upon me now with glaring eyes of bitterest scorn were far from the field of battle. ‘In my last extremity I salute vou asa Christian minister should greet Christian people. Rather would I suffer the pen- alty of instant death at_your hands than | drag out a life of igneminy und-r a damn- ing shadow of false accusation.” everal members of the conference rose as soon as Dr. Brown had leit the plat- form, and for a time there was consider- able confusion. Quiet was restored by Dr. Foster’s moving that the vote be cast without delay, those not members of the conference being requested to withdraw into the lecture-room adjoining. The church, being cleared of strangers, along discussion ensued as to the propor- tion of votes required for the carryiny of the resolution. . It was at length decided, after thany hot words and & rising vote of 42 against 31, that a simple majority of ballots would ba suflicient to work the suspension of tue accused pastor. The vote was then taken up. Rey. Mr. Mooar, W. L. Merriam, Professor Goodall and Deacon Meyers were the tellers. During the balloting Dr. Brown’s face was | a study. Pale, drawn and haggard, his countenance reflected the thoughts and apprehensions which surged through his soui. His lips seemed dry and moved ner- vously, but bis eyes flashed with all the fire of youthful hope, aibeit mingled with | a haunting fear. side him sat Deacon Morse, who consoled him now and then with some whispered word of comfort. As their names were called both pastor and deu'con dropped their ballots with the rest, Before the votes were counted, Dr. Brown moved that the voters be counted in order to uvert mistakes. This motion was promptly seconded, and then there was much ado, since some of the voters had left the church after de- positing their ballots, After much hurry- | the place charges $40 for teaching the ing toand fro it was found that most of the votes could be accounted for and that no suspicion of fraud need be entertained. Then the votes were counted. ‘“There are 49 votes in favor of the ac- ceptance of the resolution and 32 against its acceptance,”” announced the moderator in clear, cold-cut tones; and then silence fell upon the assembly. If the two-thirds motion had not been lost Dr. Brown would bave been vindicated. ‘I move we adjourn,” shouted a voice, followed by a chorns of seconds. In silence the condemned pastor and his judzes started to leave the sacred edifice. Meanwhile news of the verdict had reached the waiting crowd in the lecture- room. The two bodies of human beings met at the church door and a scene of wildest confusion followed. Valentine, the pastor’s son, made a lunge at Dr. Mc- Lean, whom Dr. Brown'’s friends accuse of being at the bottom of the affair, and when prevented by force from attacking him burst into tears and imvotent curses. “May God’s judgment descend upon you, Dr. McLean,”” cried a lady, falling upon her knees. A Some men voiced the same malediction in less polished terms, and for full fifteen minutes the little church was like a bedlam. At the railway station on Market street the scene was repeated. ““The thing was fixed!” exclaimed one of the prominent members of the council. “*One or two men were bent on Dr. Brown’s undoing, and by means of fraud and villainy they succeeded in bringing about the fulfillment of their un-Christian plots. There are none so fiercely severe upon a man in trouble as those who have some secret iniquity of their own to hide.” | On the boat Mrs. Cooper and her ad- hezents occupied the forward end of the cabin, the pastor and his flock the stern. Neither group communicated with the other, nng when the wharf was reached the pastor, with his wife and son, took a car for their home. “Iam not downed yet,” was all that Dr. Brown cared to say; but he said it as though he had still some hope. WITH THE LABOR UNIONS The Barbers to Open an Ag- gressive War Upon Their Enemies. An enthusiastic meeting of the Barbers’ HUNTINGTON WILL GET A BAD SCARE When Sutro Steps Off the Train in Washing- ton City. FEARS HE IS TO0O LATE. The Mayor Says the Octopus It- self Is Working for That 2 1-2 Cent Fare, WANTS TO STOP TRANSFERS. The Affiliated Coileges and Library Matter Is in a Very Bad § Way. Mayor Sutro in speaking yesterday of his contemplated journey East said: “There is one thing certain that if I go to Washington my presence will scare the life out of C. P. Huntington. I am afraid, however, that it is too late—that the fund- ing bill is too far on the road to final pas- sage. Still I must get away from here for atime. I need arestand a change and I may drift into Washington. “I am personally acquainted with a number of Senators and members of the House and I know that they have a high personal regard for me—at least respect, and I feel that I could even yet give the common enemy a hard fight. “I am aware that Huntington uses Association of San Francisco was held Mon- day night. It was decided to ask ministers | of all denominations to take up the cudgel | against shaving on Sunday, and preach | sermons in support of the observance of | the Sabbath day. Itis believed that if the | Supreme Court will not uphold the anti- | 8nnday shaving law, the ministers of the | gospel may assist the barbers by institut- ing a moral boycott upon the practice. F. | Hodges, in discussing the Supreme Court’s | decision, made this point. The law was | declared to be unconstitutional, because it was class legislation. Mr. Hodges asked why the local ordinance prohibiting the washing and ironing of clothes in laun- dries after 10 o’clock at night was not also declared to be unconstitutional, because it was class legislation, when that ordi- nance was before the Supreme Court sev- | eral years ago. The Supreme Court of | New York bas upheld the Sunday shaving | law of that State. Notices will be sent to all the barbers in the City to close their shops at 8 o’clock on all week nights excepting Saturday. This order will be strictly enforced on and after July 1. Any shops violating this order will be boycotted by the Trades Alliance and other unions with which this union is affiliated. Boycotts will be placed upon all shops kept open after 12 o’clock on Sundays. A perpetual boycott was placed upon the | “‘Barbers’ College,” at 1515 Howard street. It was asserted that the man who runs | trade in eight weeks; aiso that all the “‘graduates” turned out of the college so | far are the worst kind of face-scrapers | imaginable, | The barbers are going into polities in earnest, so it was decided. They are de- | termined to elect men to office who will make laws that will afford them some pro- tection, and from what can be learned about 2000 will swing into line on such an 1ssue. The 5-cent barber-shops came in | for a goodly share of condemnation and | active steps will be taken to drive them | out of the City. The Barbers’ Association of California | met last night and was addressed by T. | Burns of the Labor Council. He advised | that the several barbers’ unions consoli- date and make a united fizht for closing the shops at 12 o’clock Sundays. Within the past week 500 signatures have been rocured from boss and journeymen mem- s who will not patrorize barbers’ sup- ply-shops that furnish supplies to the 5-cent snops. It was stated that while the | 10-cent shops are the most affected by the | 5-cent shops their bosses and men are the | least interested in the reform movement, | The Boss Barbers’ Protective Association met last night and initiated fifty new | members. It was decided to hold a mass- | meeting of the craft within two weeks to take action upon the 5-cent shops, the “‘barbers’ college,” the Sunday-closing question and other matters of importance, The recent decision of the Supreme Court was condemned. At a mceting of the Amalgamated Woodworkers’ Union last evening a report was made that Charles J. Bruschke, the rceognized enemy of trades unions, was importing cheap workmen from the State | of Washington. | | bad | pus? That’s where it comes from. | pus.” | every engine that money car buy to create a false impression concerning me personally as a part of his fight, and I am equally sure that I could change that sentiment very quickly once on the round. It is almost a hopeless task, owever, to stem the current now. It is the people of California against the united corporate power of the country. For all the big corporations are irterested in this fight and are lending their aid, in- fluence and millions to carry that bill. The odds are too much.” Asked as to the siatue of the Affiliated Colleges matter. the Mayor said that it was badly muddled with law questions. ““They have gone along fooling about plans and doing nothing practical until my deed lapsed, There will be no trouble about that, however, as I will give an ex- tension of time if desired and if the other questions can be settled. As to the library site, I never agreed to give a deed unless the site be freed from taxation. That seems to be a difficult matter. There were at the meeting yesterday Judeze Wal- lace, Reaben Lloyd, Arthur Rodgers, Major Mhoon and Joseph H. Moore, all good lawyers, but they seemed to see no way of | meeting the difficulty. They seem to ser; ously desire a settlement of "the euestion, end [ certainly do. I want to fix it up before I go away.” As to the report that he was to make an | § attempt to secare a streetrailway franchise | over Bush street, the Mayor said: ‘No, I | am not thinking of any such thing. And, Plein of the university officiated as chair- man. There v;as nearly a fuli member- ship of the club present. T;he question fgr debate was: ‘“‘Are the Conditions of Production Fayorable or Unfavorable at Present, and What Are the Conditions Most Favorable.” 2 J. M. Reynolds opened the discussion with a pithy review of the existing politi- cal conditions considered from a non-parti- san view point ana was followed by Pro- fessor Carl Plein, James S. Reynolds, J. Munsell Chase, editor of the Hotel Ga- zette, J. W. West, V. L. O'Bren and others. Thediscussion was interesting. e et A saloon was established recently on the ice in the middle of the St. John River, between St. Leonards, New Brunswick, and Van Buren, Me. The saloonkeeper has been doing a big and demoralizing business among the Maine foik, and the earnest prohibitionists on the American side of the river are talking of blowing up the ice with dynamite. L In the year the mulberry tree was first cultivated in Greece and the Levant for the benefit of the silkworms. NEW TO-DAY, America a Athens The victory of the American Eagle in the revival of the Olym- pian Games of ancient Greece is suggestive of the victoties won by the American % < dentifrice, SO-, W\ ZODONT over is intcrcsting to observe that“So- zodont” is de- rived from the Gr’c’ck words“so- 20,” to preserve, and “odontes,” the teeth. If you wish to test the imerits of famous = i Sozodont, a sample bottle will be mailed on receipt of 3 cents for postage, provided you mention this paper. Address Hall & Ruckel, W olesale Drugglats, ew sgenking of that, has it occurred to you ! that this cry of a 2}4-cent fare and the | abolition of transfers is raised by the octo- | I was | at something of a loss to explain the sud- den movement in all directions at once. I have figured it out. You never saw one of these concerted movements like this ex- | cept some big power is behind it. In this | instance it is the octopus, working through these improvement clubs throughout the | City. The octopus would like very much | to get rid of the transfer system. It is | very expensive to them. This is the first | time I bave mentioned this matter, but I | am certain that this is a move of the octo- POLITICAL ECONOMY CLUB. | Questions of Interest Discussed at the | South Park Settlement. The third meeting of the Political Econ- omy Club, organized by Professor Bernard Moses of the State University, was held at the South Park settlement last night. The settlement and the club are each a part of the scheme looking to the spread- ing of advanced philosophical thought among those who are unable to take ad- vantage of a university course. So far the settiement has proved a successful experi- | & ment. Twice a month the meetings are held at | the home, at which times professors from | the university and meg of local promi- | nence take part in debafes on subjects of | deep political and philosophical interest. Professor Moses was to have presided at the meeting last night, but Professor NEW A great man like going to bed about 4 o’clock in the afternoon. . 80 nervous and broken down, and I would afternoon, that I could hardly night I could not sleep. collapse all the time. I finally, TO-DAY. y men go to work in the morning feeling more | . 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