The Preacher, the Presiding Elder, and the Typewritten Screed

A great sensation has been caused in the First Methodist Episcopal Church of this city by the circulation of a document by M. H. Nichols, a minister little known in this section, in which he accuses T. B. Ford, the presiding elder of the M. E. church, Seattle district, with seduction, embezzlement of missionary money, and with securing his position by false representations. He also alleges that the title of D. D. suffixed to Mr. Ford's name was obtained as a favor for underhanded work.

The circulation of this document was carried on openly by Mr. Nichols at the recent revival services at the First Methodist Episcopal Church in this city and at the Puget Sound conference, then in session at Tacoma. Mr. Ford insisted on having the conference investigate the matter, and yesterday a warrant was sworn out in this city by C. W. Arnold, one of the pillars of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, before Justice Humphrey, charging Nichols with criminal libel. The warrant was placed in the hands of Deputy Sheriff W. L. Meredith, to be served, and he immediately went to Tacoma, where Nichols was still carrying on his work in the defamation of Ford.

Members of the church who have been seen denounce the actions of Nichols as an outrage on decency and an honest man, and much sympathy is expressed for Mrs. Ford, who has been dragged into the mire by innuendo.

The author of this sensation is a man about 60 years old, a minister whose record is not well known, and who is looked upon as a "crank." Mr. Ford says he is utterly at a loss to account for such a false attack, and rather than allow it to die, sought the courts for a vindication.

Nichols has been on the Pacific coast for some time, engaged, it is said, in exposing Masonry. He has lived in this city quietly and never showed his hand until the recent revival services commenced. Then he went to the church door and, having selected the people he wanted to inform concerning Mr. Ford, commenced his work. He gave a typewritten document to Rev. W. A. Shanklin, pastor of the church, one to Bishop Joyce, others to leading women in the congregation, and, when his stock ran out, had others typewritten for public distribution.

The document alleged, among other things, that Ford had been involved in a missionary-money scandal in Arkansas, that he had obtained the degree of D.D. through favor, and that he had seduced a young woman and later married her after another man had married her. It was signed "M. H. Nichols, care of George W. Knowles, Room 9 Llewellyn-Dodge Building, Seattle."

This attack, coming as it did from a man almost unknown, caused great excitement among those who were informed of the matter, and Mr. Ford was so indignant that he immediately commenced to inquire into the matter in its relation to criminal libel. Pastor W. T. Ford, of the Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, who is a relative of the presiding elder, went to Nichols and asked him if he was the author of the document he was circulating. Nichols said he was and sanctioned charge by charge as it was enumerated. Nichols then asserted that no one in the Methodist Episcopal Church dared lay those charges against Ford before the Puget Sound conference. Mr. Ford had jotted down the charges as made by Nichols and asked him to sign them, saying: "I will show you if anyone dares." Nichols refused to sign the paper and asked Ford why he took so much interest in the affair. When he was informed by Pastor W. T. Ford, who is small but a very determined man, that his name was Ford and he wanted to inquire about the matter, Nichols closed the interview. Nichols then prepared himself for the conference at Tacoma, and before going over showed people his pockets crammed full of statements against Elder Ford.

The elder told Bishop Joyce he was going to take the matter into the courts, and the bishop told him to be sure and let Nichols know that he should proceed against him. Nichols, however, was not subdued and kept on with his work. Last Saturday Pastor Ford, of the Grace M. E. church, and Elder Ford visited ex-Mayor Ronald and handed him one of Nichols' documents to read.

"The matter is libelous," said Mr. Ronald, "but you must remember, Mr. Ford, in taking this into court that Nichols has the privilege of substantiating these charges." The elder replied with great decision: "The charges are false, scurrilous, and there is not one atom of truth in them. I don't know what to think of this matter unless the man is crazy. I never had another wife and am at a loss to understand what he means in the last part of his charges."

When Mr. Ronald asked how the matter was to be taken into court, Mr. Ford replied: "Criminal libel. I don't want his money if he has any. I want this matter sifted to the bottom."

Mr. Ford secured a promise from Mr. Ronald to lay the matter before the prosecuting attorney and then went to the conference at Tacoma. This was done, but the Creamer murder case caused delay in getting out the complaint, and in the meantime Nichols not only kept on circulating his documents, but also told much orally that was still more slanderous. Mr. Ford insisted on having the case investigated by the conference, and many of his former Arkansas friends testified to his good character. The committee lost no time in preparing a report exonerating Mr. Ford.

The committee, composed of D. G. LeSourd, A. J. Joslyn, Clark Johnson and F. E. Drake, after hearing eleven witnesses, found that Mr. and Mrs. Ford bore unblemished reputations in Little Rock, whereas Nichols had once been but was no longer a member of the church. The resolution adopted expressed unqualified confidence in the character of Mr. and Mrs. Ford.

Mr. Ford trembled with emotion when he arose to thank the conference for its action. The charges and the gossip which followed had nearly prostrated his wife. Mr. Nichols was present yesterday during the session. Yesterday Assistant Prosecuting Attorney McBride requested Mr. Ronald to draw up the complaint for Nichols' arrest. The warrant was issued by Justice Humphrey, and Deputy Sheriff W. L. Meredith left in the afternoon for Tacoma after Mr. Nichols on the charge of criminal libel.