ALLEGED EXHIBITONIST

NZ Truth, Issue 508, 13 March 1915, Page 7

ALLEGED EXHIBITONIST

CLERGYMAN ACCUSED Of UNCLEAN CONDUCT

METHODIST MINISTER MA:

UN BEFORE THE MAGISTRATE

Sent to Supreme Court for Trial

(From "Truth's" Chriatchurch Rep.)

On Thursday, 4th inst, when the Rev. William George Maslin, minister of the | Methodist Church, Foxton, was arrested at Christchurch,' charged with wilful and obscene exposure m the Public Gardens that; morn lnff, he was; remanded by Mr. H. AY. Bishop, S.M., until Saturday morning last at 10.30, his counsel statins that it, was .desired to have the case dealt with summarily. A determined effort was made by the defence to prevent, publicity being given the circumstances surrounding Maslin's arrest, and on that account -it was not surprising that on Saturday morning the proposed procedure suffered a general- alteration. Tlie case was taken m the Magistrate's Court an hour earlier than the time fixed by Mr. Bishop; the Bench was.occupied by Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., and Lawyer JSalter stated that after consideration, it was .preferred that the accused be sent to the Supreme Court for trial. ,~ . / Notwithstanding that the case was called upon an hour before the anticipated time, there was a fair attendance of Maslin's ...Conference colleagues m the back- benches when the Court opened. >■; Sub-inspector Hastie, however, asked that the Court be. cleared and, although oner or two seatholders m clerical garb remained, they were given to understand by the Court orderly that PARSONS WERE INCLUDED In the S.M's order, and they stalked out of the conventicle With apparent reluctance. , „-.•• < Throughout the proceedings the accused, appeared ill at ease. Whilst listening to the evidence, he,. alternately Bat down m the dock or leaned over the rail and divided his gaze between the Witnesses and the occupants, of the Press table. Accused's father occupied A seat beside Mr. Salter. The first witness, a girl' aged 17, stated that she was a student at the School of Art. At 10.30 on the morning of March 4, she and two younger , students left the school and went to the Ijtotanical Gardens for a sketching lesson, taking up a position near the 3?ißberle.s Reserve, facing the river and the bridge. . About ten minutes later, witness saw Maslin cross the bridge from the direction of the fisheries, but took! little notice of him at the time. After, a minute or two she HEARD SOMEONE WHISTLING, and looked round towards where the Bound came from. A little to her left, on the opposite Bide of the river, she saw the accused indecently exposing himself. She was quite certain as to what happened and, as her younger companions also were trying to locate the whistler, she told them not to look across the river because a bad man was there. The next moment one of the . IJoraaln Board's gardeners m a dart drove' past arid the accused disappeared. When the cart had gone, the whlßtlc was repeated and; looking up, she saw accused; m the same spot, indecently expose himself again. She again told her companions not to look, but to pack up their sketching material to return td the college. While the party were crossing the bridge, accused was secji ' walking m tho direction tho girls m- . tended to go. The girls had only gone at Couple of •chains or so from the bridge when they met Mr. Young, tho head gardener; and told him that there was a man m the gardens who was not fit to be there. Young replied that ho Would bo DOWN ON HIM. While she was talking to Young, witness saw a gardener get out of a cart near the bridge and walk across be- i hind a tree. She and her companions then went back to the college, and had only boon there a few minutes when Young came and took them- back to the gardens, where witness identified Maslin as tho man who had committed tho offence. She had not the slightest doubt about his Identity, either* then or at present, i < A younger member of tho sketching party, identified Maslin as the man who had crossed the bridge. A few minutes after ho crossed the bridge the whistling started. Witness asked, "Who's whistling?" and tho oldest girl replied that it was probably some girl from the college who was sketching m another part of the gardens, Incidentally, after passing tho remark, however, the eldeat girl said to her friends, "Don't look across the river, there's a man acting disgustingly." Witness didn't look up, but she noticed that at that moment a cart passed and tho whistling ceased, and commenced again when tho cart was out of earshot. The eldest 'girl said, "He's doing it again. Pack up your things and we'll go back to the school." ; Tho party wero crossing the bridgo on tholr way back, when witness saw tho accused walking towards, eomo trees, with his hands covering the front of his trouHcra. • Tho third girl, aged lfi, gave evidence on similar lines. Sho stated that tho eldest girl, .when sho saw the acciiflcd, Hald, "Don't look." Sub-Inspector HumUo: Did she tell you why you were not to look? "Witness: I only romeinbor her saying "Don't look." Didn't Hho qualify nor remark? Did ■ho say anything about a man? '. Oh yen, I forget the word she used, • but it wa« a good hint and , I KNEW ITS ML'ANING. Lawyer Saltor: I object, your Wor.shlp. Tho witness should glyo us tbe actual words that wore used. Tho S.M.: Sho says sho can't romombor them, but sho knew what waa meant. Mr. Saltor: Sho didn't say so at first. Bho only said it when aho was prompted by the sergeant. Sub-Inspector Hastie: I dldn'tprompt her. The question was a fair one. ' The S.M. ruled similarly and tho caso proceeded. John Russolt. gardonor, employed by tho Domain Board, stated that ho was ■carting In tho Botanical Gardens on t4th tnst and saw the accused there ut 10.30 a.m., on a back track lendto tho bridgo near the flahorleß. nen» was about oppoulto tho brUlK^ and 100 yards away from tho track, when ho stopped tho dray. The accused crouched hcsltlo three bushes and was peering around tho corner an If looking out for Homoone. Tho garden employees wero Instructed to tuko particular 1 notlco of anyone whose movement* looked HUsplcloiiH. WltncsH therefore stopped his dray and wont towarflH ttio t)UHheB whon ho saw the uccuttcd. Tho latter, when ho caught Hlght of wHuchh pooling towards him, turned and went

behind the bushes. At that moment | Mr. Young came on the scene and witness then learned for the first time that a complaint had been made, about the accused. Young took charge of the accused and witness went back to his dray. . James Young, head gardener, Botanical Gardens, stated that on the morning In question, at about 11 o'clock, he was on his way to the Fisheries bridge, when he was % stopped by three girl students. In. consequence of their complaint witness proceeded to the spot indicated and saw the .accused,, who was walking away. Witness overtook him

and said, "Good morning, you were speaking to some young girls a few minutes ago." The accused replied, : "No." Witness said, "Well," you'vo been DOING SOMETHING— SOMETHING WRONG. Come back here- and see the young girls who havo complained about you." ! Maslin /cf used to go back and see tho girls. The foreman gardener then came along and witness left the accused m his custody while he went across to the school and brought the girls, who identified Maslin as the man who had committed tho offence. Witness then cycled to the police station and reported the matter. John Hlghstead, foreman gardener, said that he was passing the accused and Mr. Young, who were talking. Young beckoned him over and, giving the accused Into his charge, mentioned that there ha,d been an offence against Home girls. Young then went away to fetch the girls, and witness asked Masr lin to walk along with him m the direction of the school, Maslin refused, but later on' asked witness if the head gardener had gone for a policeman. Witness replied that he had only gone to fetch the girls, whereupon Maslin walked a couple of hundred yards with witness and then, saying he had an appointment m town, refused to go any further. Eventually Caretaker Kent came up, followed by Mr. Young and three girls. s Maslin was Identified by them as the person who committed tho offonce. Witness asked accused to walk towards tho eato with thorn. Maslin refused and struggled violently. He had to be drugged .some distance, before he said he would go quietly. HI h captoi'M released his arms then, nnd ho walked with them for ' some distance, but SUDDENLY DODGI3D BACK AND RAN. Tho two gardeners chased and caught him again before the police arrived. Jumea Kent, caretaker ut the gardens, corroborated. Scrgt. John Peter Clarkson stated that In consequence of a complaint received from tho head gardener, ho and Senlor-Sergt. Muthleson went to tho Public GunlciiH iiml met the accused. Who was In tho custody of Kent and lllghstcad. Tho Senior-Sergeant said ho would take charge of the accused and Hlfftißtcail warned him to be careful as the accused had jrled to get away. This concluded the case for tho prosecution and the accused, reserving his defence, was committed to the Supremo Court for trial. Ball was allowed, m self £200 and m two sureties, each of £100. REV. MABLIN RESIGNS FROM MINISTRY. At Monday night's sittings of the Mcthodittt Conferences In Chrlstchurcn, It was reported that Conference* m committee had received und accepted Rev. W. G. .Mnslln'H resignation as a minister of the Mothodlst Church. Some twelve months jiko, In Wellington, the rev. gentleman wn« called upon to answer v nlmllur oharpo to the on<; at present against him. He wn« able to glvo a Hutlsfactory explanation to the magistrate, uud was discharged.