Show PARSON FACES 11 STATE CHARGE I Validity of Thousand Marriages Involved inCourt in inCourt inCourt Court Action ELKTON Md July 1 1 By The TheA A Press The The Rev Richard 1 T. under fire by Methodist Episcopal church authorities by whom lIt he was unfrocked six years cars ago ngo for his activities as marrying parson wt- wt w free tree upon HI own ree- ree today after appearing before be before be- be before fore a a. police magistrate late yester yester- yesterday yesterday yesterday day to answer a warrant charging illegal performance of marriage cere cere- monies Magistrate said Mr West West- ren would be given Inn a hearing some sometime sometime sometime time next week and end the rt t s 's at attorney nt- nt attorney torney said he probably would be beheld beheld held for grand jury action in Sep Sep- Sept t The offense carries the pen pen- penalty penalty alty of a fine tine The Tho warrant sworn out by b States State's Attorney Henry L. L Constable Cons lab Ie after aft r a conference with State Attorney Gen Gen- General General eral cral Thomas P. P Robinson P. P inson charged that t at Mr was not author author- authorized authorized authorized by the tle law 10 of the state of Mary Mary- Maryland Maryland Maryland land to celebrate the right of mar mar- marriage marriage and that he did celebrate the right light of marriage between Allen Dick Dick- Dickerson erson and Claire McCall residents of Cecil county count on October 22 1924 Replying to the charge admitted having been dismissed by bythe bythe the Wilmington conference of the church In 1921 He Ill was not perform perform- performing ing marriages as a Methodist cop cop- clergyman ho said eald but as a minister of the tte gospel He asserted that he Ta vas aJ performing all nil functions of such a minister also conducting services servi s and for lor the past two year years acting as assistant pastor of or orthe the Church cf of the Nazarene at North NorthEast NorthEast NorthEast East Maryland several fie 3 ms r. r s 3 from here h re The Rev Mr Ur also pro pro- produced produced produced the ordination certificate received re received re- re flo the Iowa conference of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1908 but which was v cancelled after his conviction a a Jury of clergymen clergy clergy- clergymen clergymen men of commercializing the solemn office of matrimony It was said today that the number of marriages whose legal status has been cast cSt into doubt by 17 Mr unfrocking total nearer 1000 than the previously estimated |