A Sensational Affair.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 232, 8 December 1888, Page 2

A Sensational Affair.

A DECEIVER BURNT IN EFFIGY. STRANGE CAUSE OF A TUMULT. Dunedin Thursday. An event which will probably drag certain of the actors in it before the Divorce Court is the occasion of considerable popular excitement at Port Chalmers just now. It appears that a certain well known official who resides at the Port, a year or so ago parted with the wife of his bosom temporarily to allow her to visit some of her friends at a distance for a week. Taking pity Ou his grass-widowhood, a friend asked him to stop with him while his wife was away. Unfor. unately the friend had a good-looking wife, and the official seems to h »ve sought o insolation for his own wife’s absence by devoting himself to his f iend s spouse. In due course the friend’s wife presented her loving spouse with a remarkable fine child, which some kind friends said did not resemble him in the least, but which did reproduce with remarkable fidelity certain peculiarities of complexion nuticeaule iu the official. With such a legree of filial anxiety did this estimable child strive to imitate its Sa and betray its parentage, that even the ootor in a jocular way remarked on the like uess. It was not iffitil after two months that the friend's wife confessed to her husband who was the father of her child. When this did occur, however, the offmded husband visited the official and dsm.in led some satisfaction. To add insult to injury the seducer asked the husband to hush the matter for a money payment. Thia was indignantly refused and the matter became public. The husband is a widely known man and his case was taken up with an enthusiasm that the quiet little port has never shown before. Not contented with giving vent to their imprecation of the deceiver in ordinary words the cit.zena on Saturday night got up a processiop headed by the Garrison band playing the Dead Mftich in Saul. On a trolly drawn by two horses was a well executed effigy of the deceiver, and behind him a figure representing * Auld Clootie,’ with the orthodox horns, hoofs, tail, and pitch-fork. Also on the trolly were a judge, lawyeis, and 12 jurymen. Between 8.30 and 9 p.m. (hie party drew up before the officers house, and having vented their feelings in groans and hoots, went on their way to the reclaimed land, where be was duly tried in effigy, condemned, hung and burnt to the tuna of a Salva ion Army hymn. Then the procession returned to Port, with the Band playing 1 The Girl I Left Behind Me.' Old at tbs Port lay that such general popular excitement hat never been seen there previously, and even the opening oi the railway tailed » tow kaoh a orawd.