ACTION BY AN EX-PRIEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11620, 6 April 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

ACTION BY AN EX-PRIEST.

HIS LECTURES SAID TO BE -UNHEALTHY." riCTOB' Michael Rtrrirv-E-v, a lecturer, who as described as an ex-priest of Rome, claimed in the King's Bench recently to recover from" Father Emil de Bom, a Roman Catholic priest, of Shanklin, Isle of Wight, •• damages for libel published last March. The words of which plaintiff complained ran:"May I, as a friend, ask you to shun the ■unhealthy lectures which, are now allowed ■ to take place at a public: hall of this town. - Any person who has any self-respect will refrain from lowering him or herself by listening to the attacks of this stranger to j the town and pseudo reformer. The en-., Closed leaflet will give an idea of the true * worth of tH man-who calls himself Father Ruthven." > ' , - n , ■ In the leaflet which was enclosed, and v which was healed, "The History of 'ExPriest* Ruthven," a number of statements about plaintiff were made. It was said that Ruthven, or Riordan, was born in ireland. When a young man he entered a 'Jesuit school at Dublin as a theological student He : was partly educated for the .' ". priesthood, and had gotten far enough to be tonsured when.he was expelled from the school for "drunkenness and disreputable '■'•'" practices." Further, it was stated, his : s£'was soon obliged to separate from him on account of bis drunkenness and extreme f ■cruelty ... He was expelled from the \ b3 Church, and published as a fraud at was also" said that at one time plamt.tt was an inmate of the Keoloy Liquorln st, tute from which he was discharged _as ■ cured, and that he had served a year m the Lie County Penitentiary for obtaining ■ money undjr false pretences. _ ; Plaintiff, who conducted * his own case • read he entire leaflet, which was couched in very severe terms of condemnation It was he thought, only fair that the defendant, who had launched these charges : against him, should prove them and therefore he threw the onus of proof upon him, reserving his right to call witnesses after-

"Mr!" Kemp (for defendant) declared that what plaintiff did was to take a book printed in Latin, issued to priests, and which was as innocent in its nature as the So of a medical paper or a scientific work, ' and by taking isolated passages from it, to convert them into bestiality, debauching those who listened to his polluting filth. Evidence was then called as to the nature of plaintiff's lectures. The character of the witnesses' statements was of such a nature i . ™be unreportable, and the learned judge peremptorily ordered all women and youths to leave the Court. . . „„«, • Dr Paton, a Presbyterian missioner, was called,, and said that Ruthven, whom he . £w in America as Riordan, was there sent to prison for twelve months for swindling and obtaining money by using his (Dr. laton's) name, and representing he was collecting for the New Hebrides Mission. Father Emil de Bom, the defendant said he sent out this warning against R ufchven ? lectures, believing it to be bis duty, and without malice. It was not true that questions such as Ruthven suggested were put to women penitents in confession. _ ... -"-. In the course of cross-examination the judge ruled that Father de Bom was not bound to answer questions which sought to elucidate' what questions were put in the confessional, nor what the answers were. Plaintiff then proceeded to call evidence to rebut defendant's evidence of justification. Several witnesses gave evidence to the effect that the lectures were, in their ; opinion, earnestly and seriously delivered, and were not of an improper or indecent character. ■."•'"' . ■ .. i Plaintiff, without going into the witnessbox, proceeded to address the jury upon the whole case. He contended that defendant was bound to prove his justification, and that he had not done. • .Mr. Kemp, in reply, commented severely on plaintiff's absence'from the box. . ; '-• The jury found for defendant on the first part of the libel; and for plaintiff, with 40s damages; on the second part..