As background, from the end of the nineteenth century until the opening years of World War I, Britain and America experienced fervent antislavery campaigns. Evangelists and reformers lobbied for investigations of the alleged white slave traffic, particularly in immigrant women. Britain enacted a White Slave Traffic law in 1910, amended in 1912. The White-Slave Traffic Act, better known as the Mann Act was a USA federal law was passed on June 25, 1910. The United Nations signed the Agreement for the Suppression of the "White Slave Traffic" at Paris on May 18, 1904.
Mr. Wilson was a prosperous farmer in very good standing in the county in England where he lived. “He is the largest farmer in the whole of Suffolk, and farms some thousands of acres. In addition, he is known as a great dealer in pigs, always having near 2,000 fattening for market…and as touching any matter agricultural Mr. Wilson is certainly the great authority in the countryside.” (July 13, 1917, Ideas)
However, in autumn of the year 1904, an event happened which grievously changed Mr. Wilson’s life.
“There came into Cretingham two young women, who simply announced themselves as Cooneyites. Name, occupation, sect—they professed to have none of these, but repeated a formula in answer to all questions: ‘I am Martha,’ and ‘I am Mary.’ ” They stated their denomination to be the ‘No sect denomination’ and their sect to be the ‘undenominational sect.’ Most were familiar with them by the nicknames the ‘Go preachers’ and ‘Tramp Preachers’ and ‘Cooneyites.’
"They began preaching in the villages and very soon their enthusiasm and the novelty of their mission began to gather in converts. A large farmer’s two daughters, and one of his sons were converted by the "Cooneyites" and gave up their homes to join the sect. This loss of his children was a severe blow to Mr. Wilson. They simply disappeared, and the Cooneyite evangelists refused to give any information as to their whereabouts. At the same time other young people began to disappear from Suffolk homes, and their parents were frantic with grief." (July 13, 1917, Ideas)
Mr. Wilson “…conceived a violent antipathy to the sect, and has spent much money and energy in endeavouring to drive out the wandering sect from Suffolk.” Fearing for the safety of his and other children who had vanished, he was vocal with many far-fetched accusations. “Wild with grief and anger, he commenced a bitter campaign against the Cooneyites…He covered the dead walls round Debenham, a small town, which became their stronghold, with posters setting forth his view of their conduct and morals. He followed them across the county to Sudbury in West Suffolk and roused a crowd of 3,000 people, who drove the Go Preachers out of the town.” (July 13, 1917 Ideas)
Although Mr. Wilson lived in County Suffolk, England, he did not confine his anti-Cooneyite vendetta to that area or even to England. “He gradually extended his campaign to other parts of England. Invoking the assistance of the clergy and nonconformist ministers in the towns which he visited, the grief-stricken father would appear at Cooneyite meetings and denounce them with burning language. He wrote letters to newspapers and printed handbills and posters which he exhibited wherever he could find a sympathiser. Passion drove him on, and his mind, inflamed with his wrongs, led him to make charges as to the lives led by the disciples which he could not justify.” (July 13, 1917 Ideas)
Mr. Wilson did not let up on his attack against the group and continued to protest and circulate his libelous literature. The following July, the town of Enniskillen, Ireland was littered with graffiti during the month when the annual convention at Crocknacrieve was held. The Impartial Reporter spoke out against the “abominable and vile charges made against them in indecent placards posted in town and country, charging them with seducing women from homes for improper purposes…We regret that the boardings of the town of Enniskillen should have been defaced by such indecent placards, and in the interest of the community at large we think the author of them should be discovered and placed in the dock on a charge of criminal libel for his vile charges.” (Impartial Reporter October 3, 1907)
In October, 1907, Wilson arranged for a meeting to be held in Enniskillen, which was at least 200 miles from his home on another island, where Mr. Wilson was a total stranger to the townspeople.
He arranged for hand bills to be passed out in Enniskillen announcing that a public meeting would be held in the Townhall in which he would address, “the invasion of women thieves from America." A crowd showed up. Several workers including Bill Carroll went to the meeting, as well as John West, owner of Crocknacrieve convention and his brother, William West.
First, Mr. Wilson told about his experience with the Cooneyite sect. As chairman on Cretingham School in his village, he had given the preachers permission to use the school for meetings and had attended their first meeting, where he said he “found things queer.” When he attended their second meeting, he “found things diabolical.” When three of his children converted, he found things unendurable and was beside himself.
When he realized his mistake, he set out to warn others of the dangers he saw in the sect. He had booklets printed called, “Danger Signal” and “The Cankerworm Spoileth.” He distributed these to clergymen in the United Kingdom and Ireland so they would recognize the Go Preachers when they wandered into their villages and could adequately warn their congregation.
Mr. Wilson read parts of one of his pamphlets to the Enniskillen audience: “The doctrines preached by these Missioners were circulated to and in fact did induce certain young girls to leave their parents homes and associate with these Missioners. After a short period spent in what was given out to be a preparation at a training home for future mission work, these girls have been shipped to China, South Africa, and other foreign parts, and in other cases fear to lose all means of communication with their children. It is gravely feared that these Missioners are employing their so-called mission as a cloak for recruiting the ranks of the ‘white slave’ traffic in foreign parts because the children whose absence has resulted from the preaching of these Missioners are many of them illiterate and totally unfitted for the mission work alleged by these Missioners to by their object and because these Missioners have chiefly required young females for their purpose the few males who have also followed these Missioners were employed, it is believed as a cloak to cover the underlying motive of the mission.” .” (Impartial Reporter October 3, 1907)
John West took the platform in defense of the Go Preachers and demanded that Mr. Wilson give the name or address of a single man or woman who was guilty of Mr. Wilson’s charges. Mr. West said: “I think it is fair that when a man comes all the way from Suffolk in England and mounts a platform and addresses an audience, he should come with facts, and not come with the insinuations that have been listened to. It is fair and just to give us the names of those who are lost in China and said to be in a harem there. There were two conventions held at my place and not one of them in the County Fermanagh had any doubt that any person was guilty of the charges that this man brought or of being defiled in the way he says they were.” (Impartial Reporter October 3, 1907)
Mr. Wilson demanded to be told the whereabouts of a particular orphan girl. Mr. West replied “Who do you accuse of stealing her? Come, give us the names of the man you accuse of stealing her away.” Trading of insults followed. Mr. Wilson replied to their question for a name of the alleged thief by accusing them of being double-tongued, and he failed to produce a single name. He demanded the names of “the 91 persons whom you dragged off the correct path unto the crooked path,” and also the names of the "25 persons baptized on Good Friday 1906 near Ipswich." Mr. West promised to give the addresses of Wilson’s daughters in one week’s time. John West asked if William Irvine ever visited his home and Mr. Wilson said he did not know.
Mr. Wilson digressed into a grievance he had against the workers because they told him every man who drank was on the road to hell. He elaborated on how fond and how often he enjoyed his Guinness stout; that it was one of his best friends and that he grows barley for Guinness. He also accused them, “You also preach against tobacco and call it the Devil’s weed. I had several cigars today and a bottle of stout. I thank the Almighty for the fruits of the earth.” (Impartial Reporter October 3, 1907)
Mr. Wilson read some from the Bible and said the Cooneyites only read part of their Bibles, were hypocrites, “preaching Christ through strife;” adding to the Bible (Rev 22) and ignoring the 5th commandment of honoring thy father and mother. Mr. Wilson's pamphlets were for sale for one penny each. The Tramps walked out while Mr. Wilson was loudly requesting the door to be locked so they could “thrash this thing out.”
In the Crocknacrieve convention held July, 1908, Wm Irvine referred to Mr. W. D. Wilson of Framingham, whom he described as a poor, old clerical fool and a supporter of the clergy. "Mr. Irvine said that Mr. Wilson had asked him out to dine one day and asked him to tell his children to go back to the Church. ‘I said,’ Mr. Irvine added, ‘I could not do that. I said, “If they serve the Lord and follow Jesus, they will be saved. If they go back to their old ways they will be lost.’” (Impartial Reporter, July 30, 1908 p8)
At the convention, Wm. Irvine called on two of Mr. Wilson's daughters (one of which was named Nellie Wilson) and his son to speak. “Another daughter of Mr. Wilson then testified, and then her brother followed who said that he was glad that he had opposed his father, and that he meant to go on and follow God. He had seen his father write those reports which were published and there was no foundation of truth in them. He had forgiven his father for all he had said, and he hoped that he would call on the Lord and get forgiveness from Him also.” (Impartial Reporter, July 30, 1908 p8)
Four years later, in 1912, the Go-Preachers returned to Suffolk County where Mr. Wilson lived. He retaliated by making a sworn declaration before a notary at Ipswich, England, "in which he made very specific charges against the most prominent of the sect. As Mr. Wilson was a man of good standing in the country, his charges created intense excitement." The People of London, a newspaper, ran an article defaming the Cooneyites. (People Ltd of London, July 14, 1912 pg 5)
A newspaper reported: "While the 1912 convention was sitting, the members learned that the following
leaflet was being exhibited, by the instruction of Rev. D. L. Hayward,
vicar of Bruton, on a notice-board outside the barber’s shop of Maidstone, one of the most conspicuous spots in the village:—
"A grave warning signed by overseers in 20 parishes, and all the overseers in Ipswich—
"We, being overseers of the poor of various parishes in Suffolk, England, feel it our duty to warn every man, woman and child against countenancing or in any way encouraging those men and women who come amongst us and call themselves by various names such as ‘Go-preachers,’ ‘No Sect,’ ‘No church,’ &c., and endeavour to entice our children, especially our young girls, under the cloak of religion. Many girls have been induced to leave their homes, to their great distress and sorrow. We have seen letters from some of these girls, which describe their painful experience amongst these people abroad. There can be no doubt that the religion’s fervour and apparent zeal displayed by the people here may be treacherous baits to catch the unwary for an improper purpose. No words of ours are sufficiently strong to describe this horrible work, and in the interests of we strongly and earnestly warn parents and children to avoid these so-called preachers as they would the most deadly plague. "
"The Vicar had received this document from a man in Suffolk, who, counsel said had been prosecuted for issuing such leaflets, and had been compelled to apologise publicly for the slander. For the plaintiffs it was stated that the leaflet constituted a libel on themselves, and they had suffered by reason of its exhibition in the village. The impression was conveyed that they were engaged in what was practically the white slave traffic." (July 17, 1913 Impartial Reporter)
An action for libel was brought by Edward Cooney and Earnest Walter List of Debenham against The People, Ltd. of London. The Tramp Preachers won. The People, Ltd withdrew their charges of immorality and regretted they had been published and paid Cooney and Mr. List a fine of 100 pounds plus costs. The judge, Mr. Justice Darling asked Ed Cooney: Were you the founder of this sect?—No, William Irvine was the first, about sixteen years ago. I cast in my lot with him as a fellow-preacher, and preached a good deal in the north of Ireland. I recognise the name, but others have nicknamed us ‘The Cooneyites.’ I do not like it myself. (Impartial Reporter December 18, 1913)
The Impartial Reporter reported about a libel suit filed June, 1912 at a court session held at the Bristol Assizes in Bristol, England, brought by the Go Preachers against Rev. D. L. Hayward.
Wm Irvine was one of the witnesses, and the Go Preachers were successful in obtaining damage awards. The article states: "William Irvine, one of the founders of the Go Preachers Society, said it was Protestant evangelical" and states that Wm Irvine also said, "I have never known of a new sect being founded without opposition". (July 17, 1913 Impartial Reporter)
While the 1912 convention was sitting, the members learned that a leaflet was being exhibited by the instruction of Rev. D. L. Hayward, vicar of Bruton, on a notice board outside the barber’s shop of Maidstone, one of the most conspicuous spots in the village. It was a grave warning signed by overseers in 20 parishes, and all the overseers in Ipswich. It stated:
“We, being overseers of the poor of various parishes in Suffolk, England, feel it our duty to warn every man, woman and child against countenancing or in any way encouraging those men and women who come amongst us and call themselves by various names such as ‘Go-preachers,’ ‘No Sect,’ ‘No church,’ &c., and endeavour to entice our children, especially our young girls, under the cloak of religion. Many girls have been induced to leave their homes, to their great distress and sorrow. We have seen letters from some of these girls, which describe their painful experience amongst these people abroad. There can be no doubt that the religion’s fervour and apparent zeal displayed by the people here may be treacherous baits to catch the unwary for an improper purpose. No words of ours are sufficiently strong to describe this horrible work, and in the interests of we strongly and earnestly warn parents and children to avoid these so-called preachers as they would the most deadly plague.”
“The Vicar had received this document from a man in Suffolk, who, counsel said had been prosecuted for issuing such leaflets, and had been compelled to apologise publicly for the slander.” It’s not hard to guess who was behind this!
But Mr. Wilson’s influence didn’t stop with the United Kingdom. It even extended across the ocean to Newfoundland and New Brunswick, Canada. While holding a mission in West Point, Newfoundland in 1915, a paper made the rounds “which told about the workers belonging to what they called the White Slave Traffic. It said they were taking away young girls.” This account nearly prevented some from being baptized. (See Account Of Gospel Coming To West Point, Newfoundland In 1915).
Mrs. Harry Wilson of Napan wrote to England for information and received a letter from Mr. Wilson’s son. On March 21, 1912, a Napan, New Brunswick newspaper account titled “Slanderous Charges Against Evangelists Refuted by Evidence from England” which carried the following letter:
c/o John Wilson
Sparks Farm
Cretingham, near Framingham,
Suffolk, England
March 5, 1912
Dear Madam;
I was glad to hear from you that two Preachers who I know are in your village, but sorry that there is such a bad report about them, and that that report is caused by my father's pamphlets. For the past few years he has been circulating this vile literature. He did the same around here for some time, besides doing other damage, for which he has been brought before the magistrates several times and fined. He has also been made to give public apologies, so he is not believed on this side.
You ask about my sisters. At present, they are all (four) living in this village. One was out preaching in the same scriptural way as the two who are in your village, but returned to try to stop her father from spreading such evil reports. Another was away for health reasons. Those two are now living with my brother, as does another who has not been away. The other is also at home. It is great folly for him to go on pouring out his hatred and malice in this way, and spending money having this literature printed and sending it to your side.
Only recently, he was made to apologize through the High Court of Justice to Mr. John West, of Cocknacrieve, Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh, Ireland, and his brother William West, having to pay 100 pounds damages and costs.
Yours truly,
W. F. Wilson
With the letter came a clipping from the East Anglia Times of October 18,1910, containing the apology of William Dennis Wilson for having slandered Charles T. Partridge:
"I hereby acknowledge and admit that I have for several months been printing, publishing, writing, and circulating letters and documents of a libelous nature, reflecting upon the moral character and integrity of Mr. Partridge. I further admit the charges against him contained therein are absolutely untrue and without foundation in fact. I also undertake to pay his legal charges, and also the costs of publishing this apology in such local newspapers as he may select". (See Go-Preachers in Napan, New Brunswick, Canada)
Links to full text of Newspaper Accounts given above:
1. 10/3/1907 - Impartial Reporter - Town meeting at Enniskillen
2. 7/30/1908 - Impartial Reporter
3. 8/13/1908 - Impartial Reporter4. 7/14/1912 - Impartial Reporter
5. 7/25/1912 - Impartial Reporter
6. 7/17/1913 - Impartial Reporter
7. 12/18/1913 - Impartial Reporter - actual case(s) settled, terms, etc. in Bristol, England
8. 7/13/1917 - Ideas
TTT Editors Note: On the 1921 Staffordshire Workers Conv List of names is a Lilly Wilson, Minnie Wilson, Jennie Wilson and William Wilson. These may or may not be Mr. Wilson's children or relations of theirs. A Willie Wilson died in the work in 1983 in Indiana, having started in 1906. It would seem from the letter written by Mr. Wilson's son that the children did not continue preaching, but continued as believers in spite of their Father's opposition.