A SALVATION ARMY CAPTAIN IN TROUBLE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3721, 19 June 1883, Page 4

A SALVATION ARMY CAPTAIN IN TROUBLE.

At tho Bath (England) Police Court on April 2nd, AVilliam Joseph Powell, "captain" of tho local Salvation Army, Avas charged Avith neglecting to contribute towards the support of the illegitimate child of ono Mclinda Elizabeth Harding. Complainant was a domestic servant, and Avas, until a few months ago, living* in service in Bristol. Since then she had been living Avith her mother at Bath. Defendant was a gentleman avlio had described himself as an evangelist, and AA'as the proprietor of a meeting-house in Newark-street, Bath. Complainant mado tho acquaintance of the defendant about December, ISSO, and, shortly after an intimacy commenced and a courtship took place, or, as the girl said, they "kept company" together. In February, 1881, Powell left Bristol and Avent to London for the purpose, as he informed the girl, of preparing to take a command Milder "General" Booth in tho Salvation Army, and this intimacy existed for some time. So matters Avent on until the girl had lent him her Avatch and also money. Sho Avanted this Avatch and money back, and this gave rise to a quarrel betAveen them. The courtship, for a little AA'hile, was discontinued. But the little quarrel brought arenowal of the love, and on May Bth, 18S2, complainant visited Bath for the purpose of adjusting Avith defendant somo little differences that had arisen, and more especially as to something that ho had been saying about her. She Avent to the "barracks" in Newark-street, and thero sho Avas sliOAvn into a room Avhich Powell called the vestry—a private room adjoining the meeting house. At this timo Powell Avas holding Aveek-day services, and on this Monday, after tho service, about two o'clock, the girl saAV him in this private room, and after asking her Avhy she came, and the girl telling him hor reason, he began to try to persuade her to renoAV their courtship, and, upon his promising to be faithful for the future, tho courtship Avas renewed. In February ho left Bristol for London, and on the -Ith March he Avrote from Hackney, addressing her as "Dear Lizzie," and regretting that ho could not say good-bye before ho left, but saying* that ho did so " with heart." The letter concluded with " Pray forme as I do for you," and " I Avant you to Avrite as soon as you got this, and if you can send a few stamps do, as you know how I am fixed." She subsequently recovered her Avatch from a pawnbroker's shop in AVe.stgate-.strect, Bath. Another letter from defendant, thankfully acknowledging the stamps, contained the following: —"I havo not tho slightest idea Avhero I am to bo sent to, but it is a matter of indifference, as I am satisfied to go anyAvhcrc for Jesus. ... I Avant you to get mo the

loan of a sovereign. . . . Writo by return of post for God's sake. 0 ! I wish lAvas alongside of you, I luioav I could coax you to do what I ask you." Then followed a series of kisses, indicated by crosses. A third letter ackowledgcd the receipt of tho sovereign, informed her that Avliere ho was they Avere not supposed to keep company ■with any female until they Avere tAvclvc months in tho Avork, and said he Avanted her to " live right until I am in a statbn, and then I will come and sco you or send for you." AVhcn he returned from London he visited her, and she came to sec him at Bath in May, 1882, and subsorpiently a child Avas born, of Avhich defendant Avas the father. Cross-examined by defendant: Ho Avrote *.' post-card to her, saying: "Deem not to Avrite to me no more, you wilful Avanton." Defendant cross-examined tho complainant in such an offensive manner that tho Bench had to threaten to commit him Ultimately they stopped him, and he sat down saying: '' There's nothing the matter, I may as avcll sit down." Evidence in corroboration of the complainant's story AA'as given by a number of One George Lightfoot, a storekeeper of Chippenham, said that Powell did not deny his intimacy with Harding, but said that since then he had been converted "a second timo." AVitness did not make lovo to defendant's present Avife. He did not go to her and say "Miss BroAvn, I am desperately in lovo with you ; I havo .-£2OO in the bank, and I will dniAv it out and build you a chapel if you AA'ill marry mo."— (Laughter.) Ho Avas not discharged from tlio Army by defendant. He never Avas a member of it, but he had supported it. He Avas prepared to forfeit his life if ho Avent down on his knees and acknOAA'ledged that the girl had told him to say so, and expressed fear of being prosecuted for libelling defendant. He never did such a thing. He noA-er " deformed " defendant's character. AVitness took out a summons against defendant for having assaulted him on Old ToAvn bridge, Chippenham, by seizing him by the throat and saying '' If you scandalise my character I Avill give you a thrashing."—(Applause.) The defendant Avas SAVorn, and denied that lie had had improper intercourse Avith the plaintiff at any time. He had not the love for her that existed between man and Avoman when their natural affections were tendered to each other.—(Laughter). < Ho never pawned her watch, but left it Avith his brother, and his Avife paAvncd it. He loved her more than an ordinary female, because ho believed she Avas a child of God. He kissed her every time he saAV her, and Avhen lie bade her good night. The courtship lasted from January 10, to July, 1882. He never Avas in the vestry with her, but on the Bth May lie Avas at the barracks in the vestry getting 500 hymn-books to take to Chippenham, AA'hen he heard a noise outside, upon going out ho saAv plaintiff there charging a man named Carr with telling her to "fry her face."—(Laughter). She said to defendant: "You kncAv, you hypocrite, for you told them I Avas drunk." Defendant said he Avould haA'c no disturbance in tho barracks, and forcibly put her outside the doorway. The chairman of the Bench adjudged the defendant to pay for tbe support of tho child, adding: "I do not consider that any man ever left the Court with such a stain on his character as you have." The decision Avas received Avith cheering by tho people in Court.