Allegany County Reporter
January 18, 1883
Transcribed by Cheryl Mueller
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A Questionable Affair -- Fracas over lectures in Almond
The little village of Almond in this county, had quite a sensation last week over the action of a well-known citizen of that town assisted by a Methodist preacher of Hartsville. Steuben County. It seems that a Prof. Edmonds of Syracuse, having secured the consent of five out of seven trustees, begun on Monday night a series of physiological lectures, in the Methodist church. He continued his talk on Tuesday evening, exciting much interest. Rev A Tanner, of Hartsville, who was in the habit of preaching the church on Sunday, took offense at something and held a council of war with a Dr Z Dildine, one of the dissenting trustees, and they decided upon a plan of action. So just before the time for the lecture on Wednesday evening Tanner and Dildine entered the church through a window and pitched the scientific man’s manikins and traps out of doors and when the lecturer came refused him admittance. Three or four roughs were placed in the church and when the crowd gathered for the lecture would not let anyone in. Great excitement prevailed but the people gradually dispersed. The next day an indignation meeting was held at Greens Hall. It was addressed by Martin J Green, who named J.J. Upson as Chairman. Charles W McIntosh was chosen secretary. A committee consisting Ira C Cutler, R.C. Major, H.J. Green, D.C. Hopkins and J.M. Carr, prepared some resolutions which expressed in strong terms their condemnation of the course taken by Dildine and Tanner. Their action, to say the least was ill-advised if not outrageous.