THE CAMPAIGN OF SLANDER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 13, 29 March 1900, Page 18

THE CAMPAIGN OF SLANDER.

SIiATTEKY'S INTEMPEBANCE : A FURTHER PROOF.

Slattery is as fertile in unsupported assertion as he is barren in proof of his statements. He now ventures — of course without a scrap of evidence to Bupport him — to cast doubts upon the authenticity of his written admissions of intemperance as given on p.p. 10 and 11 of our pamphlet, Joseph Slattery. Fortunately for the cause of truth, and to his own confusion, Slattery has himself furnished us in his own handwriting of recent date further confirmation of the intemperate habits for which he was dismissed from the priesthood of the Catholic Church. As usual with him, he, on February 6, 1900, Bent a coarse challenge to the Very Rev. Dean Grogan, S.M., of Napier, calling upon him to appear ' on the public platform in the Gaiety Theatre on to-morrow Wednesday evening.'

This letter, together with another of Slattery's, is now in our posession. We submitted it, together with the writing of Slattery referred to on pp. 10 and 1 1 of pamphlet, to two Dunedin experts in hand-writing whose technical skill is well known in local judicial circles. The following is their joint report :—: —

The following documents have been submitted to the undersigned by the Rev. Henry W. Cleary, of Dunedin.

1. A letter written on faded notepaper marked ' Exhibit A' at top, having on front page an embossed coat of arms with the motto aut vhicere ant mori, the whole surmounted by a double cross and a hat (said to be a cardinal's hat) with tassels on each side arranged in five pyramidal tiers or rows, and the address (likewise embossed) 'I, Rutland square, Dublin.' The letter is dated Bth December, lt>B3, is addressed, ' Dear Father Slattery,' and is signed on the fourth page, 'E. Card. MacCabe.' Underneath this signature are the following words, in a different handwriting : ' I most willingly and thankfully accept my appointment. Wishing you many long and happy years over us. I remain, your most obedient servant, Joseph Slattery.'

2. A letter written on faded notepaper marked ' Exhibit B,' with the address, '4, Rutland square, Dublin ' embossed. It is dated 17th January, 1885, is addressed ' Dear Father Slattery.' and is signed on the fourth page, 'E. Card. MacCabe.' Underneath the signature are the following words in a different handwriting : ' I accept the appointment on those conditions with many thanks. Joseph Slatteby.'

3. A letter having on the left hand corner of the first page the foD owing address printed in sans-serif letters in blue ink : ♦S. Charlton's Hotel, Napier.' It is dated 'February 6th, 1900,' and begins as follows : ' Mr. Grogan, Sir, I have been informed that you and other Romish priests in and about Napier have denounced me,' etc. It concludes as follows at the bottom of the fourth page : ' I remain, yours truly, Joseph Slattery.' We have been requested to compare the handwriting in the document dated • S. Charltpn's Hotel, Napier, February 6th, 1900,' with the portions of documents 1 and 2 (also referred to above aa Exhibit A and Exhibit B), which follow the signature 'E. Card. MacCabe,' and which are quoted above and signed 'Joseph Slattery.' We have both separately and together examined the handwritings referred to and have closely scrutinised their peculiarities with and without the aid of a magnifier. As a result of our examination we are perfectly satisfied that not alone is the general character of the handwritings the same in all the documents or portions of documents referred to above and signed ' Joseph Slattery.' but that they agree even in their minor peculiarities. And we are quite unanimous in affirming that the portions of documents 1 and 2, signed ' Joseph Slattery,' and the letter dated ' S. Charlton's Hotel, Napier, February 6th, 1900,' were all written by one and the same hand.

1 Signed

S. H. Morrison. Jno. Challis.'

• Dunedin, March 28, l'J'iO,

THE PUKba hCOUCIIES THE SLATTERYS.

In ki'-t wetk'rf iesue we pave a len^thly extract from a Dunedin weekly strongly denouncing the Slattery imposture. We also quoted the stinging remarks of the editor of the Christchurch Press to a deputation of Slattery'n supporters who had called to complain that the Pn «• had ipnortd the Slattery meetings and declined to receive reports sent in regarding them. An even more thorough boycott of the Slattery performances was carried out by the other great Christchurch daiJy, the Li/ttelton Times. We now learn from a Christohuroh correspondent that the deputation which was so severely castigated by the editor of the Press had previously proceeded to the office of the Lijttlcton Times. They crowded the staircase from the street to the top fiat, where they were met by the editor. After stating their business, the editor promptly replied by ordering them off the premises. The Brunner Newt, of March 19, scorches the Slattery pair in a leading article, from which we will quote some extracts in our next issue.

IN DUNEDIN.

Aa already stated elsewhere in this issue, the two Dunedin dailies, the Otago Daily Times and the Ucening Star, absolutely refused not merely to mention the Slattery performances, but they likewise (as we learn from Slattery himself) refused to accept his advertisements or to aid him and the female impostor in any way to bring before the public the notification of their coarse and filthy attacks on the virtue of the whole Catholic womanhood of Dunedin. In this they have followed the dictates of honour and public decency and copied the example set them by the respectable secular Press of Great Britain and Australia. We are glad to be able to state, from our conversations with representative people of different creeds in Dunedin, and from other sources as well, that this evidence of clean and honourable journalism has given the greatest satisfaction to all persons in Dunedin who love the reign of peace and good-will among people of various creeds, and who have an honest detestation of imposture and pruriency under the cloak of religion.

In Dunedin Slattery's agent was refused the use of all the pood halls. The evil reputation of the pair went so fast before them that many of the hotels to which he applied were ' full ' — for him. The whole body of the Protestant clergy of every denomination have united in ignoring him, and from many non-Catholic pulpits in Dunedin and district enlightened and fair-minded clergymen have issued solemn warnings and denunciations against the wretched pair. Slattery failed to find a chairman, and — aa usual with him in New Zealand — had to fall back upon his lachrymose advance agent for an introduction to a Dunedin audience. The Tablet pink pamphlets are being distributed gratuitously to all attending his lectures and those of the sham nun. This will be kept up during the whole of the stay of the Slatterys in Dunedin.

TIMARU AND INVEBCABGILL

From two Timaru correspondents we learn that Slattery's intended visit to that fair town broke down owing: to the fact that be could not secure a hall at any price. We are also pleased to learn that the local Press and the non-Catholic clergy were strongly opposed to the advent of this wandering pair of strife-raisers.

The Slatterys announce Invercargill as their next haltingplace. Their ' show ' in New Zealand has been avoided as a bubonic plague by the clergy and respectable non-Catholic laity, and is now frankly set by the public sense of the Colony in its proper category as a low-down performance unfit for any person who uses soap and water.