Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-10-18
A WEARS IMMORTALITY.
"The Priest in AbsOIaIi0n" APP
pears I'm n New Light.
e. wHITMORE,
Publisher and Proprietor,

pcttEb IN - 0CW AA8mA.
Newcastle Chronicle.l
At the Birmingham Police Court
the other day the Rev. Frederic
Willet, vicar Of Christ church, West
Bromwich, was summoned by a.
former parishioner, named Mary
Ann White, to show cause why he
should not contribute to the sup
port of her illegitimate child, of
which she alleged him to be the
father. Mr.. Harris and Mr.. Stub
bins appeared in support of the
case, and Mr.. Collins, @. c., with
him Mr.. Underhill, for the de-
fendant. The case excited intense
interest, the court being crowded
and many hundreds being unable
to obtain admission. Rumors of
the alleged scandal were prevalent
a few months since, whereupon, at
the suggestion of the defendant,
an inquiry was held presided, over
by the bishop Of Litchfeld, the
result being that the charge was
declared groundless. Since that
time meetings have been held and
money subscribed to institute the
present proceedings. Mr.. Harris,
in opening the case, said that the
complainant was aged eighteen and
a half years, and was the daugher
of a West Bromwich boiler maker.
and the defendant, besides being
vicar of West Bromwich, was a
member of the Society of the Holy
Gross. He mentioned the Society
of the Holy Gross to show the
bench how Mr.. Willet got this
young girl into his power, because
he presumed that they would come
to the conclusion that had he not
been a member Of the society he
never could have got the complain
ant into his power, and could never
have seduced her. He, being a
member of the Society of the Holy
Gross, used a book, and was in
structed by a book called "The
Priest in Absolution." That would
have an important bearing upon
the corroboratiye evidence which
was to be found in the conversa-
tions of Mr.. Willet and the con-
versations he had with the com.
plainant from the time she was
fifteen to the time that the alleged
connection took place.
is IT TRUE?
The defendant, as a member of
the Society of the Holy Cross, in
stituted the confessional box. The
complainant went first to the con-
fessiOnal at the age of fifteen, and
was in the habit Of confessing
twice u month or once a fortnight.
This went on for two years. The
defendant invited her to have i'm
proper intimacy with him in June,
when he used indecent language
toward her. 1t came to pass that
the girl wanted situation, and on
the 5th of June, 1875, she was in
vited by Mr.. Willet, where she had
been many times before, into his
private room to see him about this
situation The complainant saw
the defendant alone in his study,
The defendant, having previously
closed the door, affixed to it a card
bearing the words "The vicar is
engaged" lie then made improper
proposals to her. She then left, but
the following night she again went
to the defendants study. After
asking her several indecent ques.
tons he committed the act which
led to the birth OF the child
on the 18th April. When she
found herself enclente she, with her
sister, went to the vicarage and ac-
cused the defendant of having gol
her into this trouble. He vehem.
emily repudiated the allegation said
} that it was monstrous; promised to
take legal proceedings if it were
repeated, and finally ordered them
oat of his house. Complainant
gave evidence corroborative Of the
: opening statement, but her cross
examination was deferred. Other
witnesses were called and spoke o.
trivial circumstances, and even
tually the case was adjourned unit