The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-25 00:00:00

years. She is a person I would not believe on her
oath.

This witness was cross-examined, but all that
was elicited was that Mrs. Arnold was in the habit
of using improper language ; that she was an ex-
traordinary character, who would not let a respect-
able man pass by without swearing at him.

Priscilla Woolford, examined by Mr. Coleridge
—I was in the gleaning field about two months
ago, when Mrs. Arnold was there. She spoke
about Mr. West, and said, " They say he talked
improperly to me, but I never said so."
By the Chancellor—She did not tell me that Mr.
West had asked her improper questions, and I never
said to her that if he had asked such questions of
me I would have thrown a bucket of water over
him.

Captain Lee was called, and examined by the
Chancellor—l reside at Woolley-firs. I know Mr.
West. I attend the Boyne-hill Church at the
afternoon service. I know Mrs. Arnold. She lives
in a cottage of which lam the landlord. She has
stated to me that she was a married woman, that
she left her husband for a certain period, and after-
wards she returned to him. She spoke to me about
Mr. West. .1 overtook Mrs. Arnold on a Sunday
afternoon. I addressed her and said, " I suppose
you are the person who has created this disturb-
ance ?" She said, " Yes." I said, " The papers
report that you were half crying in bed." She said
she was. I said, "Of course you were not crying
in consequence of anything. Mr. West said to you ?"
She said no, she was crying because she was in
great pain. She did say Mr. West asked her to
confess. I met her again afterwards, about four or
five weeks ago. I passed the cottage, and saw her
and Mrs. Smith together. I said, " There is a letter
in
,the paper about the inquiry." Mrs. Smith was
by, and. said, " Do you think it will go any fur-
ther ?" I answered that would depend upon the
reply to the letter. I said to Mrs. Arnold., " You
are the last person who should have moved in the
matter, for the people of Boyne Hill have been very
kind to you." She told me Mr. West put this ques-
tion to her whether she had had any connexion
with a man before she was married. " What did
you say ?" I asked. She said, " I told him I did
not know what he meant." I said, " You know that
is wrong, Mrs. Arnold." She said nothing more.
I never heard her use improper language.
The Rev. R. Temple West was next called, but
an objection being taken,
The Conunissioners retired to consider the point,
and on their return the Chancellor • declared the
ruling of the court to be that Mr. West's evidence
was admissible.

The Rev. Gentleman was accordingly examined
by Mr. Coleridge—l am:curate of Mr. Gressley, at
Boyne Hill. I became so last February. In conse-
quence of information that I received that Mrs. B.
Arnold was ill, I went to visit her. I cannot state
the day, but I only examined her on one occasion on
the ten commandments. She was in bed. I told
her that the commandments contained more than the
actual letter, and as far as I remember I explained
their spirit. I went through the several precepts
of the decalogue, and explained them in that man-
ner as I went through them. I asked her if she
had broken them. When I came to the seventh
commandment I explained its spirit, and said
that the spirit meant more than the letter,
and, having heard that she had had illegitimate
children, I asked if she had ever looked after any
man. y predecessor took me to Mrs. Arnold's.
When I told her what the works of the flesh were
she said she did not know what fornication was,
and asked me what it was. I quoted the passage
from Galatians, and said .the works of the flesh are
these. I did not tell her she must confess, if she
hoped to be delivered. I did not tell her that un-
less she was confirmed she could• not go to Heaven.
I certainly did not tell her not to tell her, husband
what had passed between us. I never did such a
thing in my-life. She did not appear to be upset
—not so as to make any impression on my mind.
Ido not remember that she was crying. Nothing
passed as to a future visit that I recollect.
Cross-examined by Mr. Cripps—She was in bed
when I went.

Did you ask questions as to other commandments
as well as the seventh P—l explained the spirit,
and then asked if she had broken them. I did not
amplify more on the seventh than the others. I
should say, if I dwelt on one more than another, it
was the first. I had heard, before I went to the
house, that the woman had had an illegitmate
child. I had been told so by the former curate. I
asked her if she had lusted after any other man. I
do not recollect adding the word before or after
marriage. I do not recollect what answer she
made. I thought the examination had not been
systematic enough, and I adopted a more syste-
matic course, and the questions I put were part of
that systematic course_ Since the bishop objected,
I have not used that form. Was examined by the
bishop. He asked me if I had asked improper quds-
tions. I said no. He did not know what had been
said about fornication. The bishop did not ask me.
The examination before the bishop, I believe, went
only so far as to ask me if I had put improper ques-
tions. 1 said I should like to know what improper
questions were, but he replied, as I had said I had
not asked improper questions, that was enough.
Confession is not part of the systematic
plan I have adopted since I came here. Exa-
mining a sick person as to his sins, according to the
Rubric, has nothing to do with confession. When
I visited a sick person I never said anything. more
about confession than to say, "If there is any
weight on your mind between you and God which
you cannot ease yourself of, if you like to open
your mind to me pl. can." I generally ask a sick
person that question once during my visiting. I
express my willingness to receive any opening of
their grief. I deny that I said to this woman that
she must confess to me. I think I said she should
not be ashamed to confess her sins. lam not sure
that I used that expression, but I might have done
so. I did not use the word confess in any other
way.
Mr. Cripps—l ask you whether you consider
confession an important doctrine of the Church
of England ?
Mr. Coleridge objected to the question, and after
some discussion,
Mr. Cripps put the question thus—Do you con;
sider that the confession of persons in sickness to
the clergyman is a proper and expedient practice
in the Church of England ?
Witness---,Not unless they have a weight on their
minds which they cannot ease of themselVes.
Examination continued—l remember going with
Mr. Gressley to see Mrs. Ellen on the 23d March.
At that time I had heard nothing of what had
taken place. Mr. Gressley related to me in general
terms what Mrs. Ellen had said about me to him.
I have no doubt had conversation with Mr.
Gressley since on the subject. I was recommended
to go before the Bishop of Oxford about the end of
Jaly. That was after my communication with Mr.
Gressley, and after the matter had appeared in the
papers. My attention was called to what ap-
peared in the Windsor Express the first morning
it came out. I had same conversation with Mr.
Gressley on the subject soon after.
The Chancellor—Did you ever say to Mrs. Arnold
that it was right that man should confess to man ?
Witness—No.

Mr. Coleridge then summed up the evidence for
the defence, and Mr. Cripps afterwards replied on
the whole case.

The Commissioners then retired at half-past 8
o'clock to consider their report; and in about half':
an-hour they returned to the court, when.
The Chancellor said the 4th section of the 3d and
4th Victoria, cap. 86, requires that one of the com-
missioners should openly and publicly declare the
opinion of the majority of the commissioners pre-
'sent, whether there be -or be not sufficient prima
facie grounds for instituting further proceedings.
The commissioners having given the best Eaten:-
tion intheir power to the arguments of the learned`
counsel on both sides, and to the evidence of the
witnesses, are unanimously of opinion that the
charye brought against the Rev. .R. T. West, of
having in the performance of his ministerial duty
on the occasion of visiting a certain sick woman,
put improper questions to her with a view of lead-
ing her to confession has not been proved. That
charge, in the opinion of the commissioners, rests
wholly upon the testimony of the woman Ann
Arnold, unsupported by other witnesses, and con-
tradicted on important points by the evidence of
other persons whose testimony is not impugned.
This decision has been come to by the commis-
sioners without taking into consideration the
evidence of Mr. West himself, whom they have per-
mitted to be examined under the act which has
been referred.to. The commissioners now, in com-
pliance with the statute, openly and publicly de-
clare that there are no sufficient grounds for
instituting further proceedings against Mr. West,
and the court is now closed.
The decision of the commissioners was hailed by_
loud and repeated cheering from the friends 3re.
West, and by volleys of groans and hisses
from
th
i front
other side. There was an immense crowd in
of the court-house, who followed the Rev. Mr.
Shaw, cheering him as he retired.

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