Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 1897.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10630, 8 June 1897, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 1897.

" THE HOAX OP THE CENTURY." THIS la M. Leo Taxll's own description of hte" creation 1 ' of Diana Vaughan and devil worship In Paris, M. Taxil Brat) became known to the world as Gabtiel Jogand, over which he pnblhbed several antl-rellglona novels and pamphlets. He pretended to reveal the myatorles oi the Vatican acd to make backstairs revelatlons aboati distlngnlihed ecolealaatlos. Then he suddenly repented, tettaoted all bla evil allegations, and went to confession to a Jeßclfc priest ; and it was believed by hnndredß of simple-minded persons, unversed In the guile of the world, that M, Taxll was a sonnd, practical, and intelligent convert, who waa an nndonbted acquisition to Catholicism. Three years ago the supposed oonvert waa Identified with the publication of a hook called "The Devil in the Nineteenth Century." The author was supposed to be a Dootor Batallle, an ex^ surgeon In the merchant service, who ieoonnted at a witness events In the extraordinary career of a young person named Diana Vaughan. This damsel was said to be born of Proteßtant parents away down In Kentuoky, and to have been made Palladian Grand Mistress of the Supreme and Mysterious Lodge of Universal Freemasonry. In this capaolty Diana waa alleged to have married the devil, Asmodeup, who was oommanderin chief of 70 legions of Satanlo spirits, After these monstrosities had been launohed, other pttblloatlons entitled "Memoirs ef an ex-Palladlst" and "The Enoharlstlo Novena" an> nonnoed that Diana Vaughan had been converted to Cathollolsm. She was patronised, although she had never been seen, by Cardinal ParocoM, and even by the Pope hirußelf, M. Loo Taxil published her fame far and wide in re* llglous newspapers and periodicals, bnt in spite of all this some Catholioa began to have strong snspiolons, and at an AntlM&sonlo Congress held foot year in Trent her existence was denied, this was supposed by the believers .in Diana to be a bold step, for one man who had donbted suddenly found his head twisted aronnd one sight, and be remained for three weeks with his faoe where his poll ought to have been, and vice versa, until Miss Vaughan condescended to Come from America in order to readjasb him. In the meantime the sceptics and unbelievers who refused to regard Diana as anght bnt a mythloal personage, persistently called on M. Taxll to produce her in the flash, and to let her be seen and heard. This the supposed oonvert promised to do, and he accordingly convoked a meeting, which took place in the Geographical Soelety's hall on the Boulevard Saint-Germain, and waa attended by many persons, inolndlng nnmerous prlesta. At this meeting the Imposture was frankly and audaciously unveiled by its organiser amid scenes of protestation and uproar. Before he spoke, M. Taxll allowed a Turkish newspaper .correspondent to win a typewriting maohkafibAlprlza being offered by the hoaxer to snlt W» own purpose. Then the oreator of Dial!? Vanghan oalmly annonnoed that he was'S-borS-perpetrator of jokes at the expense of creaalow hnmanlty . Fumhhrit was the foundation of bla oharaoter as a Marseille) man, ond at the age of 19 he had terrified his fellow-townsmen by announcing that the port of the southern city was invaded by sbatks of the most terrible species. He also announced that there was a loat city nuder the Lake of Geneva; and some people believed that they saw cafds-ohautants, honees, and gardens deep down in the reoessea of Blue Lake Leman, A Pollah arobroaloglst even went bo far as bo write a treatise on the matter, In wbioh he aald that he had peroelved something like an equestrian statue at the bottom of the Inland sea immortalised by Gibbon, Ronnseau, Byron, and Madame de Stael. Then Taxll started the Diana Vaugban hoax, He was prayed for by fervent monks and nnns, who almost regarded him as a Father of the Churoh and a oandldate for canonisation, since be unmasked the Freemasons and brought over to Catholicity women wedded to devils. At Rome he was reoelved with open arms, and had an andienee at the Vatican ; bnt, as he assured his astonished auditors, he was only a falße oonvert, and Diana Vaughan was merely a type- writing young woman whom he employed as a secretary at £6

per month. In thla oapacity she wtote and signed lebtsrs diofcated by Taxll himself, and addressed to high prelates, A Triduum, or three days' prayer, waa cele« brated at the Same" Ccoar for Diana, and her bymu to Joan of Aro, a borrowed affair, was sung In aeveral churohes. Through Cardinal Parooohl the type. writing young damsel reoelvod the Papal Benedlotlon, and wob Informed that hercan. version waa the most magnlfioent triumph of graoe over known. The Bishop of Charleston, who donbted Dlana'a existence, was, said M. Taxll, oold-»bouldered by the Pope ; and the Vianr-Apostolio of Gibraltar, who Informed the Vatican that there were no oavetna la the rook where masonlo emblems or steel orowns far devlla were manufactured, waa not listened to. Then tho Italian clergy, acoording to the hoaxer, tried to get np an lmpostnre of their own by stating that Joan of Aro'a heart was preserved in one of the cities of the Peninsula over whloh King Humbert inles. All thla was calmly and B&rdontcally uttered by the Bpe&ker, who, la oonoluslon, said to the priests and Catholic writers present that he sincerely thanked them and the bishops for having asilsted him In organising the finest hoax of the oentury, and one which crowned his career. Taxil waa vigorously hooted as he uttered these words, and the Abb 6 Gamier, a musoular Christian and mills tant Catholic, who edits a paper, e&llod tho speaker moat terrible names, and lamented that he had lefb his big stick at the door. On leaving the hall of meetiDg, Taxll had to be proteoted by the police, who wore In strong force, and he was followed nob only by angry Catholics, but by persona who took up the oause of Freemasons. It la now sincerely to be hoped that the world will hear no more about Diana Vaughan, who has been a three years' bore to everybody.

On the frjnrth page will ba found several commnnloatlons to the editor, sporting now«, a report of the proceedings at the sUtlog of the Napier Licensing Benoh yesterday, and oar Hastings and Walpawe. correspondents' letters. Sale of work by ladles of St. Angnstlne'a In St John's soboolroom to-day (Tuesday), June Bbb, at 2.30 p.m.* Napier Oddfellows' annual social, Gaiety Theatre, to-morrow night. Fine programme, great preparations.* The Hawke'a Bay Hounds will meet on Saturday next at the bond rotunda, on the Marine-parade, at 10 45 a.m. and will then proceed to Petane. The Hon, J 6. Ward haß served a writ for alleged libel upon the proprietor of our evenkß contemporary, claiming £2000 damages, for Its remarks upon the Barton case. The Alamsda, wltb English mails to May 15th, left San Franelaoo on May 27th (due date). The Mailposa, with colonial mails to May 15th, arrived at San Franoleco on Jane 3rd (dne date). Messrs Barry Bros, hava removed from their old piemites in Tennyson- street to a more oommodloas bUb on the opposite tide of the road. The firm have a largo atock of prime Canterbury potatoes.* The steamer Buteshire, which sailed for London from Lyttelton on Saturday morning, took from these shores over 250,000 carcases of rabbits, an unusually large shipment of rabbits for one steamer,

The Jameson raid will form tbe subject of debate at tho meeting of the Athencoum Club this ovenlng.

The traffic returns on the Napier* Taranabl section of railway daring the four-weekly period ending May Ist amounted to £15,483 12j 7d, agalnßt £14 918 12i »i 'or the corresponding period of laet jear. Crown land sections 66 to 62, in the Tlniroto village, will ba offered by publlo euotlon for a term of seven years, at the Land Office, Qlsborne, on July 9th. The Reotlons are close to the mala road from Glsborne to Walroa. H.M.S. Goldfinch Is expected in Hawke's Bay waters in the comae of 6 few days, It is proposed by the volnnteers of the Napier Garrison to entertain the offioers and orew at a eoolal gathering in tho drill shed on Monday or Tuesday night.

Captain Edwin wired" yeuterday at 1.20 „ m ._<<yfiDd between norths-west and west and south at all places; barometer farther ilbb everywhere ; sea moderate on both coaito of both islands; tldefi moderate generally ; Hast to-nleht at most places sonth of Sft>t Cape, Tanpo, and New Plymouth."

A Government Inspection parade of the Kapler Klfles was held last night. Tile men were Inspected by Captain Chloken, and subsequently handed over to the now drill Instructor, Sevgeact-Mojor Dewar, who put the company through movements preparatory for tho record reign day parade. The Rifles will shortly be provided with new uniforms, but nnfortnnately not in time for the military display on the 22ad instant.

A meeting of.thg Hastings Dramatic and Operatic Society was held at the Prluoeas Theatre laßt evening, Mr Tyerman In the chair. It was deeded that the new society oonld not see its way to undertake responsibility for the liabilities ot the old organisation, bat that oat of any profits aoornins! on future performances a certain sum will be set aside, If practicable, lot that purpose, A com. mltteo wbb appointed to. seleot an opera tor early prcdnoblpn. Mr Galvln, secretary of the government Mining Bniean, who ha* Just retnrned lrom AuoKland, states that operations ou the Northern goldfielde, more particularly in the Upper Thames, are Very brisk, and great things are expeoted when the large batteries In oourse ot erectldu have got to work. As an evidence of the immenHe traffic in the Ohlnemurl district, he says that It Is estimated that fully 500 horses leave Paeroa evety day with goods and passengers for the varions townships. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr Turnbull, S.M., John M'Con» noohle Brown was charged with stealing three registered letters from the Napier Poßt-ofEoe, the property of the Post* master-Qenaral. The accused was not represented by counsel. Deteotlve Chrystal aßked for" o remand for eight days, to enable the prosecution to seonre the attendance of witnesses from the Thames and Wellington. The request was granted. Ball was not applied ior. At the annual meeting of the Napier Shorthand Writers' Association held last night a Very satisfactory report and balance sheet wbb presented and adopted. Previously the association has included In its syllabus the work of teaching juniors, but bb there are professional shorthand tSaOhers now in the town id was decided to conform to the rules of the asioolatlon with respect to it being a writers' association for seniors only, and the meeting was adjourned until next week to adopt a plan for the coming session.

We call the attention of late members of tho army, navy, and colonial foroea who either hold the New Zealand wßr medal or are entitled by (aotnal) service to the same, to the meeting to bo held at 8 o'clock to-morrow night at the Maionlo Hotel to form a branch of the New Zealand Veteran*' AsßOolatlon. Although it is floma 26 ynars Blnoe the last shot was fired Id New Zealand there should be a number of persons who took an aotive part In the Maori war still amongst üb. The branch recently started In Wanßanui is, we learn, making good progress. A hre broke out early yesterday morning in a small store at the Spit, oocupled by Mr James Butt and owned by Mr J. W. Seymonr. The fire was discovered by the nlghtwatohman, Mr J. Young, who gave the alarm. The Inmates of the building esoaped in their nightdresses through a window. The adjoining build" ings were saved by the good efforts of the Spit Fire Brigade. There is no clue as to the origin of the fire. But for the prompt aotlon of the nlghtwatohman there might have been a fatality. The stook was •tesaffia fcr £100 and the furnltnre fnr £20 in tb6" Standard cmoe, and the Alliance Company-bad a risk of £100 on the building. "--., The emplojd) of the Hawfc&'sßW Foundry met In the pattern shop lfiwnlght to present Mr H. B. Stewart, on his approaching marriage, with a handsome marble time-piece as a token of their respect and esteem, and to mark their high appreciation of Mr Stewart's Rood qualities. Mr J, Wilson made the presentation, speaking of the good feeling that had always existed between Mr Stewart and the other emplo)6s, and on their behalf wished him every happiness in the future. Mr Stewart thanked those present for their kind expteaslone, after which an adjournment was made to tbe Union Hotel, where a pleasant evening was spent In songs, speeches, and rcoltatlona by the following i— Messrs Stewart, Nlven, Richardson, Slmmonds, Wilson, Allen, and others, the proceedings wind' Ing up with " Auld Lang Syne. 1 ' The Hastings School Committee met last night. Present— Messrs T. Morgan (chairman), Frltohley, Hunt, George, M'Quillan, and Cook. The bead master reported that the attendance .was fairly satisfactory, and forwarded £6 10s 6d, being stationery fees collected; he recommended that a depression in tbe school grounds should be filled np before the advent of the winter rains ; and with reference to the approaching holidays Mr Smith suggested that they should bo curtailed fas much as possible owing to tbe closeness of tbe examining period. Tbe question of filling in tbe grounds was referred to tbe vlaitlng committee, and it was agreed to observe the three gazetted holidays at jublloe time, but to ask the Board to postpone the winter holidays until after the examination.— A letter was rcoelved from the Borough Connoll with reference to the holldny on the 22nd and the taking over of Queea's-equare, asking the oommlttee to arrange for the attendance of the soholara; referred to the headmaster. Mlsb Boatrioe Jull applied for a poaltion as trainee ; granted. The Rev. A. S. Morrison wrote with refprenoe to Bible olassea In the school. Mr Pegler having recolved an appointment at Ealapol wrote asking permission to leave ; granted. Tbe Railway Department wrote granting two ezanraion days instead of one.— Messrs Morgan and M'Qnlllan were appointed a vlßitlng oommlotoe for the month.— Accounts amounting to £2 16s were passed for payment and the meeting adjourned.