ARMY CHAPLAIN ACQUITTED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

ARMY CHAPLAIN ACQUITTED

UNUSUAL COURT-MARTiAL. .;'"'•■■AH ALIBI BSTABLISHEB, The Iter. Everard,Kgby, Ticar "of St. i. Agatha's, Hoxton, and ' army chaplain at ! Blackdown Camp, gave an emphatic denial at' the Westminster court-martial to charges made against him under Section 41 of the Army Act, and in the result was acquitted. The Inquiry held in the Middlesex Guildhall was a sequel fco his recent detention in the Tower. The case aroused considerable interest by reason of the reverend gentleman's reputation as a splendid "sporting parson.'* The case as outlined by Sir Archibald Bodkin was that on the night of March 14 ! Mr. Digby attended a dinner of fche ImI perlai Cadet Masonic Lodge at the Cafe I Monico. On the same night QuarterI master-Sergeant West, Ist Buffs, met, j Lance-Oorporal George Groves, K.E., in (Shaftesbury Avenue, and they walked together. West stepped into a yard' in Warflour Street about 10:45 p.m., and thore eaw the Rev. Everard Digby. ■ West returned to the street, and at once went up to a policeman and made a statement to him about an improper assault. About half ah hour later West 'pointed out i the Rev. Everard Digby to Captain Lloyd, ! Asristant-Provosfc Marshal, as the man complained of. Mr. Digby denied the charge on the spot. • Mr. Dlgby'a commanding officer, General .Rudolph George Jelf, was called tQ give evidence.as to character, and in reply to Sir Edward Marshall Hall, said: "He is 1 a gentleman, a sportsman, and a good fellow. He worked well, and all the men liked him," The Accused Gives Evidence. ■ - Mr. Digby was himself then called, and | stated that he had been at Blackdown i Camp for two years, and for the last ' throe months of hie (time there he had been senior chaplain. Before his ordination he took great interest in athletics, particularly boxing, but he broke his arm and was unable to box again. ! Speaking of the events of the nighS. of March 14, he said he went to the Monico Restaurant to a Masonic Lodge dinner of the Imperial Cadet League at 6.50 p.m. He left the dinner ad the Monico with four friends about five minutes to eleven. He wait then wearing a British warm and a cap, and there was nothing from out- ' side appearance to indicate he was an .1 army chaplain, as the badge, on the cap ! was iK*, an ordinary chaplain's badge. 'He said "good night" to three of the friends ana walked with the other to Bicadilry Circus. . I The streets at that time were crowded. They separated, and he walked up Shaftesbury Avenue, on the Monico side, to try j and get a taxi-cab, that he might go home .to Mssbury. Failing toilet a taxi-cab he decided to try the Tube: and he was j returning to the Piccadilly Tube -when he I met the A.P.M. Captain Lloyd came to ! him from behind, and he admitted using 'tile expression,■•"What the devil -has thai got to do with you?" If he had known : he was speaking to anyone with authority he certainly should not have said that, ; and be apologised. I He erapha&ically denied the charge, and ' said he had never been in the place suggested. He did not know of its existence. { \ Corroborative Testimony. Several, gentlemen who were at tie Masonic dinner gave evidence to show that at 10.45 p.m. Captain Digby was still m the Okie Monies." -. Mr. Iffiotrie* R. Basing, formerly an ofnoer in Übe R.A.F., said he left the Monica with Captain Digby, and parted , from* him' at 11.5 p.m. He Sever lost \ sieht of him all that evening; He was afterwards told Mr. Digby was charged with loitering in Piccadilly at 10.30 p.m. : Sesgfesfni^M^jOT' W: : ""F. "■ Pardtie. of the Atm'tr Gymnastic Staff, was called; and stated Wm he had jut in thirteen years' ■• array "service. : '~- ' , "'■ ■ Continuing, he said he sa>y Mr; Digby outside the Trocadero about 11.10 or 11.15 p.m., apparently looking' for a cab, and? stood Bp«&knig to him for more than ten minutes. ; ■. c .■ ' ■* 4 The lasi wilness was Captain Blackbourne, Assistant Chaplain-in-General to the Forces, who testified to Mr. Digby's -character, ability and popularity. . ..,.- . Addressing the Court on behalf of Mr. Digby. Sir E. Marshall Hall .contended that Westfa story Was absolutely unreliable. He contended that a complete alibi had been proved, and submitted that j it was impossible to convict. The Court retired at 2.40 p.m., and reI turned .ten minutes later. Mr. Divby [..immediately left the Court upon being ' acquitted. -•■■• He wag at once surrounded by friends who shook, hands with him and i congratulated him.