IN A STATE OF SIN.

NZ Truth, Issue 152, 16 May 1908, Page 5

IN A STATE OF SIN.

THE SALVARMY SOLDIER AND HIS ,' SWEETHEART.

€ant and Cuddle m the Amen Corner, f' ■ Beak Bishop Has No Doubt of Taylor's Guilt and Says So. r

Gant and cuddle are sometimes synony- 1 ftious terms. In Christchurch we have the- spectacle of Booth's Harmy kicking out the lass who went astray and folding !to its bosom the pious soldier m brilliant jersey who caused the girl's shame. 'Twas ever thus ; woman suffers and man brags about his conquest, or maintains a deathly' silence to escape a weekly tax of seven and a sprat towards the support o! •ihe passion fruit. Julia Benson first met Edward Edgar Taylor m the holy prize ring m Cathedral-square, where Old Nick is counted out nightly to the accompaniment of brazen instruments and ecstatic hallelujahs. Edward is a "lifter" m the railway service, not a person who Jifts the belongings of passengers, but an individual who oils the carriages and makes himself generally useful. He met 'Julia three years 'ago, and notwithstanding that the girl acknowledges 27— and something may be added for under-estima- i tion-^and he was under twenty-one, they gazed into each' other's eyes m the customary style .and canoodled m a manner discountenanced by the General. They even became engaged, and rented a house m Peacock-street, Richmond, m anticipation of married bitterness, and Taylor's sister, Mrs Clempson, went to live there, and Taylor followed later. Then they used to kiss each ' Other daily, at the back door as Taylor went to work; "or they both went to work together, and returned together, rand resorted to the Harmy ring together, and did so many things together that Julia one day found herself contributing -to the population an undesired but ener- ■ getic infant. During the, girl's unfortunate period of waiting, Taylor left the ■ house and went to .live elsewhere, and sub- 1 secjuently denied paternity, wherefore proceedings were instituted m the Magistrate's Court, but failed owing to the absence of witnesses. Finally, however, Solicitor Leathern took the case m hand and sued for maintenance before Magistrate Bishop', . Lawyer Hunter defending the good young man, who denied having had improper relations with the girl. He .went to live m Julia's house m October, 1906, and it wasn't true that she had purchased a suit of clothes for him. She had made him a present of some underclothing but it was a voluntary gift, and he wasn't short of shirts at the time.

•HE PURCHASED A RING for the girl, and they praised the Lord nightly beside the big drum, also on Sonday. Julia left the blood and fire organisation, by reason of her little lamb, but, he (Taylor) still marched m attractive uniform and blew piercing notes through a metal instrument and said, "Fire a volley" at the ringside on the slightest provocation. He left the house m Peacockstreet, wherein his love did dwell early m February, and if Mrs Murphy, opposite, and Mrs Sexton, next door, testified that he visited the girl frequently" by night subsequently, they would be disciples of Ananias and the truth was not m them. When living m Peacock-street he slept ia the back premises and Julia sought her unvirtuous couch m the room adjoining his. but he didn't go m and sin with her, and his' evil nassions didn't induce him to walk m -his sleep. He did return to the house one night m June to get a coat that Julia was putting a lining m. His sister,' Mrs Clempson, left m May. He was alone with the girl, but he didn't sin With her on ;bhat occasion. (The child was born, .m December, 1907). The girl, taxed .him with being < the father of her child, when he met her m Colombo-street, and .he had replied, with indignation, "You can't put it on to me ; the child doesn't belong to me.'' He had broken off- the engagement at this time, on the advice of his people, who said she was too old for him. ■ In reply to Mr Hunter, Taylor said Julia had acknowledged to him once that she had had a child previously; it was born dead, she said, and the name of its father was "Bob." She played on his sympathies one way and another, and remarked^that if somebody hadn't taken her home one night she should have jumped in-» to- the shallow Avon and committed suicide. He swore that he was never m the house with the girl between February and June, during which time he was living with his married brother Joe. When you called for the coat In June, what was the conversation about ? — She .wanted me to make it up again. And you would not ?— No. Mr Bishop ?— You knew then that she was enceinte ?— Yes. On July 27 she wrote making an appointment to meet him on the Belt, but he wouldn't go. Another letter on Augnst Ist. taxed him with

BEING FATHER OF THE CHILD. The girl remarked m this, "If I hadn't thought the world of you, I wouldn't have given mto srou5 r ou ; and you know how you promised to marry me." Taylor wrote breaking oft" the engagement on May 5. Julia Benson is a shallow-faced young lady, who wore pheasant's feathers m her hat. She said Taylor was going to marry her on his 21st birthday (May 24), so she took the house m her own name. He raime and lived with her against her wishes, and mentioned at the time that he had had a row with his father. Moreover, he was two months m the house before he overcame her maidenly scruples, and it became such a habit subsequently that she didn't offer any resistance. She bought him £2 worth of clothing and working shirts and also helped to pay for his suit of clothes. He merely paid her the cost of his meals. Existence was next door to heavenly, until one black day he told her she was too old for him, and advised her to "ct someone else. He left and went to ; brother Joe's m the second week of February, but he used to visit her frequently afterwards, and do improper things with her. Towards the end of March she was walking with him to the house, when Mrs Murphy met them and saw them go into the building. The same old sin was repeated on this .occasion. In April she told him she was m trouble, and he had replied, "Surely, never !" She remarked, "I think there is something wrong." Later she made sure of it and told him m Col6mbo-street. He called at the house on June 14 for his coat, and remained half an hour. He behaved with great sinfulness during his stay. The coat wasn't ready, and he observed as he departed. "If you find out there is anything really wrong write and tell me ; and let me know if the coat is finished." The former trouble she had mentioned to him was merely a three months' miscarriage. One night after February, when he called as usual, he found her over at Mrs Murphy's, and was displeased. "Why don't you stay at home ?" he asked, with holy wrath, fingering the beautiful braid on his uniform. "I was so lonely," she replied, humbly. On that occasion

THE DEVIL CAUGHT THEM at it as usual, but didn't tell anybody. In reply to Mr Hunter, Julia said she lived m arid Ashburton before she came to Christchurch, but her parents resided •m Palmerston South, where she was m service with Mrs Wheeler. It was here tlmt she.had got rid ot an indiscretion ot ■ her teens. Who was the father ? His Worship : You need not aDSWer that question. ■ Julia: I'm not prepared to say who he was.. He acted tUe gentleman to me and

it. is my duty to shield him. It appears that this .mysterious Derson is not m Christchurch. at present, but i» a married man m • Auckland trying hard to forget the wild and unbroken oats, ol his pious youth. Bid you not say to Miss Taylor, his sister: "I woujd take my dying oath that Taylor would not interfere with any girl"? —Yes, but that was before he interfered with me. A Lieutenant-Colonel, a Brigadier-Gen-' eral and. a Corporal held an inquiry into the lapse of Julia, but she didn't recollect telling them that Taylor's sin with herself had been committed two or three months before he left her house m Peacocksstreet. Julia used to clean up the fliank of New Zealand between the hours of 5 and Ba.m., when there were men on the premises, and she also fixed up a bedroom m the Bank on Saturday afternoons when all ,had departed. She didn't tell Mary Taylor that she had £wice fainted when at the Bank and had to be carried somewhere by a man. She, told her she had nearly fainted. Mrs Isabella Murphy, Mrs Sexton and Michael Sexton gave evidence, about the manner m which Taylor used to pervade the Peacock-street house between February and May. . - __ ■ For the defence Mrs Elizabeth Maud Clempson stated that her brother had never misbehaved with the hussy, to her knowledge ; but she had see* the shameless girl misbehave with the young man. She would place her hands on his knees, and when he told her to have a bit of | common she rolled under the table

WITH HER CALVES EXPOSED, m a most indecorous manner. Julia had twice remained out till midnight, and a Mr Elliott used to Wait about the premises for her. She was a loose girl— loose m her talk, clothes and actions. Mrs Joe Taylor, Sergeant-General Lockhead .and Sarah Taylor also testified facts already outlined, and were crossexamined by Lawyer Leathern. Magistrate Bishop : There is ample corroborative evidence of paternity, and I have not the slightest doubt that he is the father of the child. All of his actions point to the conclusion that he is not an innocent man. The pious hypocrite was ordered to pay 7/6 a week towards his unappreciated offspring, pay the costs of Court, and find a surety of £100 that he will fulfil his obligations.