THE "REVEREND" MR HAMMOND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5485, 10 February 1896, Page 2

THE "REVEREND" MR HAMMOND.

» The Oaviaru Mail says: — On Thursday we published a telegram announcing the arrest in America of the "Reverend" William Hammond, at one time connected with the Church of Christ in New Zealand. He was not, however, as stated, in any manner connected with the organising of that body either in this district or elsewhere in the colony. He appeared, so far as we can learn, first of all inDunedin, accompanied by his wife, and professed to be a convert from some oher relgion to that of the Church of Chrst, whose tenets he characterised as the perfection of ideal Christianity. He wa a man of a plau3 ible character and a ready tongue, and his desire to throw in his lot with he Churchwas accepted conditionally. He then paid a round of visits through New Zealand, preaching in various centres, including Oamaru. While in Dunedin this impostor made the acquaintance of a Dunedin girl, and he subsequently wrote to her announcing the death of his wife, and and sending her a book containing some "silver" leaves, an oldfashioned relic of "folklore," which she" rightly construed into >a, proposition of marriage. The unfortunate girl married the sharper in Victoria, and he then returned to New Zealand to secure his share of the spoil, the girl being joint possessor with her brothers of considerable property in Dunedin. He visited the brothers and demanded that they should either sell 6ut the property or buy his wife's share from him. The men pleaded that the time was inopportune for selling, but the "Reverend" William demanded hard cash, and ultimately obtained it. By this time the lack of credentials and the man's assurance and bombast had aroused suspicions in the church connection. Mr Dunne (Editor of the Australasian Christian Standard) publicly challenged Hammond's iona fides, and warned him : " Whatever you are, I'll find you out and expose you." Acting on this threat Mr Dunne moved in the Executive in the matter, and a confidential circular was issued to all the pastors of the Church of Christ. A fund was started to prosecute inquiries as to Hammond's character and antecedents, and shortly after the police began" to move in the matter. News of the death | of Hammond's wife, whom he married as above stated from Dunedin, was received; as also that of the death of Iris two children by this unfortunate womaa. She was buried in Jamaica, her death being very sudden, and as Hammond at once left* the scene of her demise the police, suspecting poison, had her body exhumed and examined, but without finding anything to justify their suspicions. Since then the police have been hot-foot upon Hammond's tracks on other charges, with the result, as announced, of his arrest. Further particulars will be awaited with some degree of interest.