Policemen

Priest, Doorkeeper, Policemen, Arrest

From the book The Clergyman’s Hand-book of Law, about Priest, Doorkeeper, Policemen, Arrest (1): A priest who was in charge of a parish and had control of the temporalities consisting of pew-rents, Sunday and other collections, graveyard, church, school, fees, and donations, on account of disorderly behavior of members issued tickets to those to be admitted and ordered a doorkeeper to prevent others from entering the church. A woman without a ticket and talking loudly, endeavored to force her way into the church, although there were several policemen on duty who attempted to stop her. She was arrested and her husband brought suit for false imprisonment. The court held that a clergyman has a right to keep disturbers out of the church and that the doorkeepers have a right to use sufficient force to carry out the orders of the priest; but when a doorkeeper went beyond those orders by causing the arrest of the woman, he was not acting within the apparent scope of his employment and the priest was not liable.833

Resources

Notes and References

1. Charles M. Scanlan, The Clergyman’s Hand-book of Law. The Law of Church and Grave (1909), Benziger Brothers, New York, Cincinnati, Chicago

See Also

• Religion
• Church