A CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION

NZ Truth, Issue 507, 6 March 1915, Page 4

A CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION

I ' . * REV. MASLIN, Of fOXTGN, ARRESTED CLERGYMAN CHARGED WITH INDECENT EXPOSURE Application for Bail Asked to be Heard m Chambers Counsel Objects to Statements Getting into the Newspapers

Somewhat of a subdued sensation swept o'er the Methodist Conference, Which has been discussing ways and means m- Christchurch during the week, when it became known that a brother minister had been arrested on a charge of indecently.. exposing himself m the Botanical Garden^. When the reverend.' .persiSh was first 1 brought before the'.M,ajri^t£atethe shocking news was little known, but later m the afternoon, on his second appearance,, [there was:*:; fair' attendance of serious | brethern from the Conference, which f was held m- the vicinity of the* Court. i MINISTER BEFORE THE MAGISTRATE, William George Masliu was brought before Bishop at Christ-church-on Thursday > Charged; with indecently.Yexposing himselfy f |n ~a public place, to -wit, the Botanical gardens. Lawyer Salter appeure^-foFvllc'cused, with Senior-sergeant MaQii^o^prosecuting. Mr. Salter, m entering a plea of not guilty for - accused, asked for ah adjournment till Saturday, and requested that bail 1 be- granted. A He understock the police -were? not prepared to offer evidence at present. Magistrate Bishop: " Why Saturday? It's a busy morning. ' Mr. Salter: Accused's father lives at Geraldine and has been telegraphed for and may not 'reach : Christchurch before Saturday;'^y"' 1 ■■■^•y-'- <>-■-> •>•'>'=' ■?• /"MVYBIshOpJ-' Do you Intend the^proceedings to •be -deal t with summarily or as an Indictable case? .. . . Mr. Salter. :--.., I don't know. I've only just'been instructed; . TtMr.«Bishopio;Ar«i.the police. prepared toYgo _onf!._i -ir.it .at.:-. y r .'■• Mr... Salter. objected to the police STATING ANY CIRCUMSTANCES m ..connection Ywjth , the ...case. Such w.o.uld^e^of course, only for the Mugistrate's^ jiniorjfna'tlon, but nevertheless woul^'be* published m the newspapers and would be likely to prejudice the accused m the. eyes of "the public. Mr. Bishop: . Oh, I expect the newspapers know all' about' it. Mr. Salter: Still, the statement of flic police yWlH be purely "hcresay,- and I ' must object i:6 anything being stated m connection with the charge otherwise than on oath. Mr. Bishop: If the case were being taken I would ask for an outline., of thfe 'evidence by the police; "They alWttys"klveit, and not-6n oath.-y-- 1 - Mr. Salter: That's so, bui tVe>;police would have witnesses' presfent" to support their statements, and now THEY HAVE NO AVITNESSES ..'iy.v. '•':. */;' PRESENT, .. _..., Mr., .Bishop : Possibly I - will* have , to .ndjpurnlthe case till .t hey get, f thcir f .witnesses ' fiere, but* I 'must be given an : idea of the gravity of the offence m 'order that I may fix bail proportionlately. [■"-'» The" Sfehior-Sergeant said he would [ stateiiYi'outline of the case fairly. All were 'present at Mr. Salterns invitation, and "not on behalf of the police; who originally Intended- bringing Maslin before the Court next morning. Mr. Bishop: Of course, m the Ordinary way you would not bring him up till? tflrmorrowi *' - y -Mr. Salter tg the S.M,: Will you take an application for bail m Chambers. Mr. Bishop: 1 can do that if necessary, but 1 MUST KNOW THK GRAVITY 'tff theYb'tfthce for the purpose I have Stated'; YY ' : '"'■ ■'•'":' " * S'ehlbriScrgeant Matheson said he would not make any statements that were not true, as far' as statements made to him by principal witnesses were concerned. The Maff istrato-^asked • if the statements o£ T tlje principal witnesses had beo*mkeh> "•-■ ; - The Senior-Sergeant: I have only ,taken them roughly In lead pencil. Yes, Hid exposure .'^as, before three girls, aged from fourteen to' eighteen years. Mr, Bishop: Do they allege deliberate exposure? ' YeS. ono of t!»c three does. She says M»e saw him, and told her companions not to look. She also states that thu accused ATTRACTED HER ATT ENTIoV ft V , WHISTLrNG. , The girls eomplaJnod to the Curator of the Gardens, who went for . the police, \yhile a couple of gardeners took accused into custody. That was exposure number one. '. Air, Salter, to Mr. Bishop: Will you huiir"' thiSr, application m Chambers, your. Worship? „ 4 Mr, Bishop: How is this going to prejudice the accused'/- , Mr. Salter: The statement** made by a .person In authority would be believed by the. k public. Mr. Bishop, to Senior-Sergt. Mathleson: Gel theue girls from their homes, and we'll take their evidence at five o'clock. That will dispose of Mr. Suiter's objections. Accordingly, the Court adjourned, and resumed at five o'clock. Accused .was. brought, from the .stating on each occasion In the police va:i. He was dressed m a grey suit, and wore the orthodox parsonical neck gear. SECOND AI'PEARANCF.. ; At the second hearing. Sub-Inspector Hustle conducted the prosecution, and on stating thai the police had been unable to locate the girls who were wanted :is witness-.-, '.i- wns asked by Mi.

Bishop to outline the case. He said: At half past ten on Wednesday mornr ing three girls., belonging to the Canterbury Society of Art, were sketching alongside the river m the Botanical Gardens. The accused was seen to cross the bridge near the Acclimatisation Society's grounds. On the opposite side of the river, accused, looking at the girls, .whistled and attracted the attention of the eldest girl, who looked across and saw him commit the offence. At that moment one of the carters employed by the Society drove past, and accused • HID BEH IND A TR EE. but camp out and*whistled again when the cart had gone. The girl told, her companions not lo look. and the three walked across the gardens casually and reported the matter to the curatory who went for the police, meantime leaving accused m charge of two gardeners. Only one girl really saw the exposure,, although others saw ac? cused's ■ hands lowered. • Mr. Salter said the main witness had no corroboration. .Mr. Bishop replied,- "That remains to be proved." Looking at accused, he asked* Mr. Salter, "Who is he?" Mr. -Salter replied. "His. name is Muslin, and I'm sorry to state he is A MEMBER OF THE METHODIST ..CHURCH at Foxton. He is m Christchurch attending the Methodist Conference. He gives me, what appears on its face value, a passable explanation of his movements to-day, and I would ask for L-ail."' Mr. Bishop: I have no Objection to granting ball, but it will have to be substantial. I'll fix bailself m £200, and two sureties of £100 each. The case stands adjourned till Saturday. The accused Is forty years of age, and is a '-married man. He was balled oitt on Thursday by Mayor Holland and Mr. Chrystall, farmer,, Foxton. It Is expected that further details will be given m evidence on Saturday. It is said that, the girls had to go only a hundred yards to find the curator. A second carter, passing the place, is said to have seen accused crouching behind a tree. Mr. Salter, it will be remembered, was the legal gentleman who defended Parson* Brainsby when brought up on a similar charge last September.