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A SI ember Who was Expelled Oh* Jerks In .iVarldlj SfeMMV,.Me Applies far an Injunction an* Soes f«r |3,0«0 Damsiei.itAn interesting: document was .filedin j the Clerk’s office of the Circuit Court on i cc*' l t . , , j * * • 4 * 'j . •Saturday, and as we believe it is the only j thcase of the kind ever on the^ docket in | this coimty, w.e publish it. in full;“John H- Turner vs,; Daniel Burden, preacher, Willis Tutt, Jacob Basket, and James Hill; Trustees, Andrew Gibson, 'Steward, anid * George * Lee, Class Leader, af the African-'Mi, E. Church' of Ilogansport.“John H. Turner, plaintiff, complain^ ing of the above named defendants, says that he is noW, and for a long, time past has been, a mi era her in good, standing ofthe African M.'E, Church of the'city-of Logansport, Cass County, 'Indiana, which is’ a’co nip orient part of the.'African M. E. Church in the Untied States of. .America; believing in her ddctrines' of Christianity and bound and governed by her laws, rules and regulations bfc discipline'; that as such member ib good staoding:'plaintiff, is entitled to the rights and' privileges of said church, which arc set forth in detail io the ‘Doctrine and Discipline’ of said church, j a copy of which he prays may be taken 1 as a part hereof, especially the right to : meet in class with the members of said ! church, attending love feasts, partaking of the sacraments of the church, and having himself and family instructed in said doctrines and discipline, and joining in all acts and ceremonies in divine service in said church. He avers •that said Daniel Burden is the preacher in charge of said church at Logansport, that defendants Willis Tutt, James; Hill and Jacob Basket are Trustees thereof, that Andrew Gibson is Steward and Geoige Lee is a Class Leader therein. And plaintiff avers that said defendants, unlawfully and maliciously conspiring and confederating together, with intent’ tn injure plaintiff, bring himself and his family into odium and disgrace, on or about the day of May, 1875, at said county, unlawfully aad wrongfully pretendedto expel said plaintiff from membership in his said church, and utter and publish of and concerning plaintiff, in presence of divers good citizens of said county, the false and slanderous words, to-vvit: “He (meaning plaintiff) hasbeen turned out of church.” “He(meaning plaintiff) was- tried by thecommittee and expelled for countenancing immoral conduct in the church,’* “He (meaning plaintiff) is a bad man and was in favor of keeping bad and immoral persons members of the church.” And plaintiff avers that he has never been tried upon any legal charges, according to the rules and regulations of said church, hot has he been presented with any charge, nor has he be«n legally expelled from membership in said church. And he further says that said defendants refuse to admit or recognize him as a member of said church, and. exclude him from all privileges as such member of said church, and do now refuse to so admit or recognize him, and exclude him from all his said rights and privileges, whereby plaintiff and his family have been brought into public disgrace and odium, and he has suffered great mental paia, aoguish and morLihcation, all to his great damage.“Wherefore, plaintiff prays that said defendants and each of them be ordered and commanded to receive and admit plaintiff to all his rights and privileges as a member in good standing in said church, and that they and each of them be enjoined and and restrained from excluding said plaintiff and his family from attending said church and attending class meetings, love feasts, and all other divine services, and he prays judgment against said defendants for costs aud three thousands dollars damages.”The case will not come up until the September term of *.he Circuit Court, but we understand that it is the intention of the plaintiff’s attorney, J. M. Howard, to have the petition for an injunction presented to the court at the earliest moment.tbthti*H4TtothsainofcA reporter interviewed the plaintiff as to his reasons.for bringing the suit and what he expected to gam by it. Mr. Turner says the only reason they had or gave forjexpelling him was because he voted against the expulsion of Melissa Watts, who was tried on a charge of adultery. He did not think evidence was presented sufficient far expulsion, and as he believed in the advice of the Sa-viuor, given on a similar occasion-“Let him that is without sin cast the first stone,” for that reason he voted as he did. During the meeting he was miking some remarks in her favor, when the preacher informed him that it was unnecessary—that every member could vote as they chose, and now he thinks the church has served him a scurvy trick by expelling him for doing as the preacher said he had a right to. lie thinks the whole thing is the work of a few members who dislike him, and for that reason proposes to see the thing thrcmgb. He don’t know as he can get any damages in the suit, but his lawyer thinks he can, and he wants to see if they can debar him from his privileges and rights.Rev. George Lee, class leader of the church, was the only other person visited by the reporter. Mr. Lee says that Turner was expelled ac* cording to the discipline of the church, * | which is the same as that used by the Methodist Church all over the country. He says further that Miss Watts was tried for being a lady of too easy virtue, that she admitted her guilt and expressed her willingness to abide by the decision of the church in the matter. 'Hfsays Turner was reasoned-with on account of bis vote and ' action-, but the arguments bad no effect on him. Ibe ehxmdi had nothing agamst Mr/Tumer, 'and if he'would1 ack’tiowledge his ■ error jwonld be received”teck iffto the church ;at any time. 'He thought the gentle-•Man xfas acting1 very foolishly in making a great ^tir about the matter, and didn’tsee what right the law had to interferein cases of church'discipline.led-ldtn:inertttlireheid-ortil
Newspaper Details
Logansport Star
Logansport, Indiana, US
Sun, Jun 06, 1875
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
OH, USA 20 Mar 2023
Other Publications Near Logansport, Indiana
Logansport Daily Reporter
Logansport Weekly Star
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Logansport Morning Journal
