PASTOR HORSEWHIPPED

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1928, Page 12

PASTOR HORSEWHIPPED

ATTACKED BY WOMEN SEQUEL TO COURT ACTION. bENSATION IN SYDNEY SUBURB, Wielding a stockwhip and cane two women savagely attacked a Baptist pastor in a street at Petersham last night and inflicted severe punishment on him before the man was able to make his escape. The victim of the assault was the Rev. J. Yates, of Stanmore. He left his home shortly after seven o’clock yesterday in company with a woman, and when he had gone about twenty yards from his home two women sprang out of a side street and made towards him. “I’ve been waiting for you for the past two hours,” shouted one of them. “I bought this whip to-day to get at you.” With that she rushed on him and slashed him across the face and body. Her companion,' who was armed with a stout cane, also attacked the Rev. Yates and beat him about the body. His companion, a young woman, ran away and left him to the mercy of his assailants. They set about him and whipped him incessantly with whip and cane.' His screams for help brought a big crowd to his assistance. “You beat us in Court,” again shouted one of the women, “but you won’t beat us here.” She continued to beat him with the whip, the lash of which struck the man in the face many times, inflicting large weals across the face and hands. He sought to escape their attack, but he was beset at front and rear. His appeals for help from the crowd fell on deaf cars. However, he managed, to beat a retreat up a lane, and, still pursued by the two angry women, he managed to reach the Petersham police station. Ee took refuge in the police station yard, but was followed, in there by the two women, still wielding the whip and cane. Finally the station sergeant heard his calls for help intervened, holding the women off from the man.

“Give us in charge, go on!” they both screamed. “You’re frightened!” The police sergeant sent the women out of the station, but the man refused to take action against them through the police, stating that he would take a civil summons.

Neighbours in the vicinity told an intriguing tale of how Rev. Yates won a court case against the two women some months ago when they sued him for assault. He was acquitted. Prior to that incident it is understood that he became enamoured of one of the women whom he met in Parramatta Road one day when she was waiting for a ’bus. He offered her a lift into town in his car and continued the acquaintanceship for some time afterwards. While on a tour of the north he wrote her several passionate letters which were produced in court when he was tried for assault. In the letters he confessed that he, though a married man with grown-up children, was infatuated with one of the women and wanted her to wait until he could get a divorce, and then marry him. She herself was living apart from her hueband whom she also was suing for divorce. Yates is alleged to have given advice ar.d introduced her to his solicitor who had acted for her in obtaining a divorce. But before the decree nisi was pronounced finally, her former husband called on her in an endeavour to make friends again, and was found with his former wife by Yates. Yates, it was alleged at the court, fumed and raged, and when lie called later on the woman threatened to kill her. He struck her several times, and it was for these blows that he was taken to court on a charge of assault. However, he was acquitted, and last night’s whipping episode was evidently the sequel to that court case. He asked for police protection during the night, and a constable was stationed at his gate throughout the night. No attempt was made, however, to force an entrance. It was one of the most sensational happenings in the district and brought thousands into the street. A peculiar feature was the failure of any one in the crowd to go to Yates’ assistance when he was being whipped by the two angry women.