The Pastor, the Pawnshop, and the Forged Minutes

Seattle, June 21, 1893.

To the Public: About January 4, 1893, there was talk about the Jones Street A.M.E. church debt before the official boards of trustees and stewards, and it was agreed that Rev. Allen W. Whaley, the pastor, should take such steps as he thought expedient to raise the debt. By the church laws governing such matters it was his duty to report to the board of trustees at least once a month as to his proceedings. He failed to do so, and never mentioned the matter until June 4, when he was called upon by the trustees to make a statement. He said he was not in a position to do so, as his book was in the hands of a gentleman in the city who intended to subscribe. For that reason no report was made that night. A week later he reported four names, one gentleman having given $10 and the other three $1 each. He gave a list, following that, of ten names of people who had subscribed but who had not paid in the money. The trustees asked him where the $25 collected was located. Mr. Whaley replied that the money was in a bank drawing interest for thirty days, and that the church would receive $2 interest. The trustees questioned him about the matter and he finally said that the interest would be only $1.

When asked to name the bank, Mr. Whaley replied that the money was in the Collateral Bank on Cherry Street. The trustees then asked him if he did not know that was a pawnshop. Mr. Whaley had nothing to say. After this a demand was made on Mr. Whaley to pay the money at 12 o'clock the next day. Secretary Fortson asked him to produce the receipt for the money from the Collateral Bank and Mr. Whaley replied that it was in the bottom of his trunk upstairs and wanted to know what the trustees cared about the receipt as long as the money was produced the next day. He wanted an extension of three hours from 12 o'clock the next day to pay the money, claiming that he had an important engagement. The request was denied and when Mr. Whaley met the trustees next day he had only $13. He wanted two or three days to pay the other $12. The following Saturday afternoon Mr. Whaley paid the remaining $12.

About two weeks later, when the dissatisfaction had become so intense that Mr. Whaley knew the trustees would publish the names of those who had given the $25, and ask that any others whose names did not appear notify the trustees, he came forward and gave five more names of persons who had given money, notwithstanding he had not collected any money since his first report. These five names amounted to $35. The church never has gotten this $35, and Mr. Whaley appropriated it to his own use without any authority from the board of trustees.

When this matter came out at the quarterly conference Mr. Whaley claimed authority had been given him by the trustees January 8, 1893, to defray certain expenses. The presiding elder demanded the minutes of the meeting giving him that authority. Rev. Whaley asked to be excused, and went upstairs. Soon he returned with a book and handed it to the presiding elder to read, saying that it had been regarded by Moton Acty. Secretary Fortson failed to make anything out of what was written in the book. Mr. Whaley said he had had considerable experience with bad writing, and stepping forward to the lamp commenced reading. Despite trouble in deciphering the writing, he made out enough to show that what he had stated was a fact. The book was passed to George Gross, who failed to make much out of it. Then the presiding elder tried it, and said with great astonishment: "This is Elder Whaley's writing."

Mr. Whaley first denied, but finally broke down and confessed that he wrote the minutes himself and signed Moton Acty's name.

His actions through this money matter and the report of his immoral conduct and his persistent efforts to thwart every effort to bring this matter to an investigation were the grounds for our dissatisfaction with him as a minister of the Gospel, and the presiding elder was asked to remove him. The elder removed him June 10.

In reference to Mr. Whaley's statement that he resigned voluntarily, it is false. He resigned after a vote had been taken at a meeting of the church requesting his resignation. Through courtesy alone he was allowed to resign. His statement in the Post-Intelligencer that the public notice calling attention to the fact that he had severed his connection with the church and was unauthorized to collect money was without authority, was also a false statement. The trustees who made the announcement were sustained by the presiding elder. His statement that he was on friendly terms with William Gross, the old pioneer, was that of a confirmed prevaricator. We make this statement in order that the public may know clearly why Rev. Allen Whaley was removed from the pastorate of the Jones Street A.M.E. church.

T. U. FORTSON, E. F. RAY, M. ROY, WILLIAM GROSS, A. DEANS, Official Board.