Atlanta Daily World

Dr. Taylor Appeals Dismissed Case Baptist Board "Re-affirms" "Upholds" Jackson Election

CHICAGO - (ANP) - With 70 of the 89 members of the board of directors of the National Baptist Convention present at the special meeting held here Thursday at Olivet Baptist Church, Dr. Joseph H. Jackson was proclaimed president to serve his eighth successive term as head of the 5-million member Protestant organization.

The Board, by resolution, "reaffirmed, confirmed, verified and upheld" Dr. Jackson's reelection as president at the recent national conference in Philadelphia which is being disputed by Dr. Gardner C. Taylor, pastor of the Brooklyn, N. Y., Concord Baptist Church, and his 10,000-member congregation.

BOARD MEETING "CLOSED"

The closed Board of Directors conference preceded the public meeting held in the main auditorium of Olivet church, which is also pastored by Dr. Jackson.

Speakers were applauded as they praised Dr. Jackson.

In the injunction suit filed against Dr. Jackson's incumbency by Dr. Taylor in Philadelphia, Dr. Jackson was represented by the law firm of Austin Norris, Green, Harirs and Higginbotham. A statement concerning the suit released by the law firm stated, in part:

It is, of course, our belief that Dr. Jackson has been legally elected for another term and that Mr. Gardner C. Taylor, the pretender to the presidency, was merely the choice of an illegal rump session of his followers, assembled for this illegal purpose, after the adjournment of the convention and after most of the duly elected delegates had left the hall.

"What we are saying is that aside from any discussion of the merits of the fight between Dr. Jackson and Dr. Gardner C. Taylor for the presidency, Dr. Jackson is still and will remain the head of the Baptist Conference until the final decision of the courts and this decision may be many months away.

REPORT FROM PHILADELPHIA

Meanwhile, writing from the 'City of Brotherly Love' where the hectic NBC conclave was held, Malcolm Poindexter, ANP's ace news analyst, reported that dismissal of the cross-suits filed in the disrupted presidency led to an appeal to the State Supreme Court, filed on behalf of Dr. Taylor.

The day before, Judge Joseph Sloane had ruled the matter out of jurisdiction of Common Pleas Court. On Wednesday, Isaiah Crippins, Esq., counsel for Dr. Taylor, one of two claimants for the top Baptist office, filed an appeal.

The other claimant, Dr. Jackson of Chicago, has been president for seven years. As matters now stand Dr. Jackson and the reigning Board of Directors will continue in office until the legalities of the disputed Sept. 8 election of officers have been argued.

QUESTIONS JUDGE'S "REASONING"

In a brief filed with the appeal, Atty. Crippins describes at length Judge Sloane's "reasoning."

He said:

"I cannot see how the court had jurisdiction to issue an injunction against Dr. Taylor, one day, and then three days later suddenly decide that it lacked jurisdiction. If the injunction was wrongfully issued then the National Baptist Convention and Dr. Jackson are liable to Dr. Taylor for damages. If the injunction was properly issued then the court could not possibly have lost jurisdiction."

Crippins added he has the "greatest respect" for Judge Sloane, but felt his decision was the easy way out" for the court.

DR. TAYLOR "SHOCKED"

Dr. Taylor in New York when informed of Judge Sloane's action, said he was "shocked."

"How could any judge in good conscience allow a man to be calumniated and for that man not to have his day in court," Dr. Taylor was quoted as saying.