A VICAR’S “EVIL SPIRIT"

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11533, 9 January 1932, Page 9

A VICAR’S “EVIL SPIRIT"

TUKY'S REMARKABLE BINDING. FAMILY “t UJISES.” DIABOLICALLY VENOMOUS LETTERS. A coroner’s jury returned a verdict that the Rev. Frederick W. C. \\ «1lett. aged GO, vicar cf St. Thomas Paris)) Church, Lees fie Id. Ohtluin. was posse-.-ed of an evil spirit at the time of bis den ill, ami that be was of un-ootid miial when lv ded and bad boon oil different occasion- during the past lew months. Mr. UVlett "a.-, found gasic-d at hi-: vicarage Evidence was given that be bad often u ter"d curses on bis wife and children. The ecru tier produced a postcard picture of Mr. Wollett's daughter, oil which the vicar bad writ"!eu : “This 's ;• symbol of the eternal break. H you seek ever to :-ee me f shall forbid you to Hit,' liouie. J lav upon veil a punishment which will live with you till your last hours. No happiness shall you again know in life. No true love shall cuter it, and if %ou have children they -ball be a curse to von. Recalls,, of ytuj* callow- wickedness and eallou-me.-s those Hi'iigs shall full upon you. THRASHED HIS CHILDREN. Elizalmtll Welle". L. 'll, widow, said ilml they were married 21 years ago. and bad two children -a boy and girl. In lui-wcr to Hie coroner she said Hint her hu-band's licentiate ot theology at Durham University was onl-- an academic one. Her life bad rtu' been a happy one. i|e bad fits; of pas-ion and be bad admiui'de'cd o'trenn' peni him "is 1c bis i-lii'd.vn by wav of thrash ae ~. The children wet",, lieavi'v marked In a cune or leather strap. Hr bad I opt them in bed bur dayand fe<l I be'u on bread and wal-er. Guest iooed further hv llq> coroner. Mrs. Wollott said that her bov Arthur. wlwn lie wa - 15 veal's ohl won 1 lie- King's Scoot .Vedul. the highest decoration in the Roy Scout movement. “lb' was to have-attemle I a Scout meeting in Oldlmm, at wlrcli the Commissioner was to present the medal to liiiii.” -lie continued. '"His fathi r tohl him .that he inlet be home by nine o'clock! Mv bov was creoinpai'icl bv my husband's churchwarden, who was all official of (lie Scouts. Th Commissioner did not appear bv the time inv boy was to have left to get home 1)v nine o'clock. ‘‘Mv son and the warden arrived homo at 10.15, and the warden rummy husband to explain the po-.tjoo Vv husband afterwards mud-hod the hoc and fore |V"m him till hi. various badges, ins-gnia cf Ins troop. His ribbons were toni in slued- ami were cnclo-cd in a letter of an afiusivo character to the warden.

The r-Mi'niuw read . ua-- f'"‘ni M'"s Wollett's written depositions, which stated:— “The result of lli'S ti'inncr was -him nin flip various miri-lies in which be lias. If I chary In eycrv .pwisli lie lms ultimate'y lmd troub'e with bis pari -trailers , - yic ; ,r. a’id lias invariably loft after lie la’s made the living intolerable to them and him-elf a nuisance to others.” The coroner -aid that there wa- a whole pile of letters 100 painful for publication. Some of them were dabolicallv venomous.

On u letter which Mr. WooHett wrote t<i bis wife read: “To Mr=. Wool'ett: The enclosed letter received this morning. My renlv yen will bo rhl" to not,, in the dililv p "pel's, My will is wow d:”)0 Pled at (lie bank. You will spend the rest of vimr life on charity. Tin’ w ill l.s so arranged on iny daughter's boImlf ilia! nothin:' can be touclmd tor 15 years, in order tlmf you. a murderess. cannot benefit bv it.”

Mrs. M'collett refp|"""d to an occa-s-’nii when she wa - afraid and wrote to her husband tclliii"" linn slo con!,' not return to him. To her i»o,sngc her IniHvnd telegraphed: “Thanks, good-live.” On New Year’s mnniiiijr this veina! 2 a. lll. her llllsbaml s-d.l to her; “Col's onr-'o on you." “Wl'cn sil’"nijr these tilings.“ slip coiitioued, “be would adopt a aii'lnd.. , f one odniii"'st(>"iug God'-- McsHii''.” Tim Coroner: Von aren't afrahl of his cursing, are you?—No. A BISHOP'* HEALINGS The Coroner: Some people think that- the blessing or fuhninatiun s of a State-made hi-lion ar A equally imootent. Tliev have no Apostolic power. though there are a few glorious exceptions. There is" a -ainlly bishop ISO miles from here who heals the si ok th'"o”gh power bestowed upon him. but it i- known onlv +o a few. Mrs. tVoollett. still referring to New Year'- E’"o, s-id that h'-r hnsrband remarked: ‘ FT ■’ ’ 1 is not deep "enough for women like you. I will kill you.”

Continuin'/ with the letter, the eor- ( »er read: “AVld'e h" wn- tar peeler, the vicar and the dorto- m-e pared pa'-ers for him to he certified." “Put inJead.” remarked the coroner. “of heiri'v certified, be was ordained in Hie Church. God help rho pom- old Church !” The coroner, addressuig the jury, sail if time one? to tie l conclusion that AT''. AVolllott was able to carrv out his duties in nerfu letorv manner —though lie understood the elm roll was empty—then, he thought- thev must conv to the eoncln~ion That he was a man controlled by evil entity and was possessed.