MULISH METHODY.

NZ Truth, Issue 67, 29 September 1906, Page 4

MULISH METHODY.

Biking Parson Upsets Young Lady and is Chivvied by an Angry Crowd. (By Wire— From Our ' Christcmirch Correspondent). The spectacle of a parson being chivvied m the public streets; by an unfeeling crowd, was witnessed m Colombo-street, Christchurch, _ on Tuesday night. The Rev. .J.- R. "Rich-: ards is a Methody preacher ; he also scoots along on a bike' and it was | this satanic machine that got him into dire trouble. It is alleged that the sky-pilot was pedalling along on the wrong side of the road when he ran into a girl who was 'also mounted, seriously damaging her bike. A number of "people witnessed the collision and there was a big crowd m no time. The girl gave her name and address and demanded that of the white-chokered bloke, but, with the crookedness of his class, he would not give it. This roused the honest indignation of the crowd, who took the girl's part, and said he'd have to say who he was and where he lived. They could see he was a HELL-FIRE INSURANCE AGENT all right, but of what brand, they' knew not, and it must have been saddening to that parson to think that not one m the whole crowd knew him as the shepherd ! Still he would not give his name, 'saying that he would call on the girl's father. That did not suit the crowd, however, who yelled at him, demanding his name some more. As he remained obdurate they hustled him and called him very rude names. Eventually they let him walk away but everybody followed and as the mob increased at every yard he found himself m A HORRIBLE FIX. The people boo-hooed him and when he mounted again they jeered .the Devil-roaster and flung unparliament^ ary epithets at his sanctified person. But other people careered after him on bikes and on foot and he waa pulled off his machine and once again was his monnicker wanted by hundreds of angry citizens ; who deal it . out to road hogs whenever they get a chance. But Richards .is a stubborn animal and mulishly refused to state who he was and where he lived. As fast as he got on his saddle; he was hustled off it, and then, ajnid loud cheers, groans and, jeers,

a peeler arrived and the parso44»iting pastime was declared finishjed. It is only fair to Richards to Hate that he says to was not m the , wrong and that it was not through, him that the accident happened. That may be investigated later. Tb<* j fact remains that had Riohards given i his name m tho first instance he i would not have suffered the ijndipu- j ties to which he was subjected, su-bse- , quently. He will know bettejr next , time. :