Show ANONYMOUS 7 lETTER TO I PRESIDING ELDER fROM WIDOW CAUSES TRIAL PHILADELPHIA Doc 26 The Rev Dr William Shaffer presiding elder cider of ot I tho the west district in tho Philadelphia conference of tho the Methodist Episcopal church was placed on trial before an I ecclesiastical court of nine ministers to today UK to- I day on tho the charge of conduct unbecoming ing a minister Nobody Is admitted I to tho the trial except those directly interested In the c case sc The Ilov nO Dr George c H H. pa pastor pas pas- tor of Arch street church this cit city is is tho attorney The ne Dr A. A C. C of of tho hoard board of home missi missions ns and church ex cx- tension is j chief counsel for the defense So great ireat was the tho disinclination of Methodist ministers to participate in in th the inv investigation on that considerable difficulty dif dif- f. f was in in securing the tho court court tho the final members in ha having been selected today An Au anonymous letter which tho former for 01 mer landlady of Dr Shaffer declares she abo found in tho the waste basket in his room figures prominently in iii t the tho be cas case It Tt is is r charged e that time tho letter was 35 sent bont I i Dr Shaffer b by Mi 3 Martha J. J I a widow and postmistress of Morgantown Morgan Morgan- town Pa Th The defense claims tho the letter letter let let- ter is is a for forgery erv Its Ih contents have havo not Dot been made mado public I If Dr Shaffer is convicted con ho will bo be suspended from tho the ministry try until tho the I I Philadelphia conference holds its annual I session in in March If tho the verdict is then sustained ho hI can appeal to tho the of appeals tho the court of tho the church |