Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-22
CLERGYM FALL.
IOUND GULLY OF BRIRAYING A HOUSENAID
IN his SERVICE.
Hs Is Ordered 10 Supply Funds Support Her Child
Remarkable Letters Written BY the Clergyman,
Els Victim, and the Wrorgsd Wife.
BE Denies Bis Guilt.

liam Augustus St. John Dearsly, vicar
of Wilmington and Lullington, in Sus-
sex, was adjud ged to be the father Of
the illegitimate child Of Jane Levett, a
servant who was formerly In his service
as housemaid the sum Of S1.25 per week
for the support and maintenance of the
child. The case has excited the great
est interest here, as the evidence show
ed that the clergyman had deliberately
seduced the hired girl.
According 10 the evidence, Jane Lee
vett entered the Rev. Mr.. DearSly's en-
ploy in 1856, when she was fourteen
years OF age. He was married man,
but without children. Jane said that
soon after she entered Mr.. DearSly's
employment he used TO kiss her when
ever he met her alone. He would go
10 the pantry with her letters and would
stop there with her about an hour or
so.
In September last, according to Miss
Levett. she went 10 the defendants
house ut BOSNIAN with the defendant
and Mrs. DearSly, and Mr.. DearSly re-
turned home first and wrote Jane let
ter. In this miSSive, which the defen-
dant admitted writing, he began, My
dear Jenny" and concluded, with
much love, remain, ever your dear st.
J. D." In this letter the following pas
sage occurred:
O0I find it very quiet here, but as am
very busy | do not notice IL so much,
but miss some one very much. was
told to-day that if 4 certain very small
Young man should come over from Hail
sham, 4 certain young lady will give
him a ready welcome, at which l
laughed"
Miss Levett, in her testimony, said
that she believed that the young man
referred 20 was one Robert Butcher,
with whom she had kept company"
until July y, after which date, she
said, she had never been alone with
Robert.
MYs. Dearsly returned TO Wilmington
on September %, and Miss Levett said
that on the morning of September q
the Rev. Dearsly went 10 her bed room
and that improper intimacy took place.
On April 9TH, Miss Levctt also said
she and her stepmOther had an inter
view with the Rev. Mr.. DearslY and
Mrs. DearSly. The reverend gentlemen
said be was not prepared TO admit the
charge brought against him by Miss
Levett, but Mrs DearSly observed
that .'She had had 10 all 20 go through
before with poor Sarah Mrs. Dear
sly added: Gam never 10 be able 10
keep Servant?' Complainant after
ward went 10 her fathers house, where
male child was born on June 20, last.
Later Miss Leyett deuied that she
had been walking with Robert Butcher
on September 2S. with his arm around
her waist; hut Miss Levett was COM
pelled 70 admit having kissed a brother
of the cook az the vicarage.
During the course OF the trial the fol-
lowing letters were put Ia evidence:
s'DFAR JENNY: You left your KEYS
on your drawers, which your sad old
mistress sends you. How your pretty
smiles haunt NE, and all is sadness.
"ROsE +. DEARSLY."
In another letter Mrs. DearSly accUs-
ed the complainant OF having told lies
about her innocent husband and of hav-
lag tried 20 destroy the love and peace of
man aud wife. She also referred TO the
Judgment and TO the statement in the
Bible that the mouths of all liars should
be stopped, and signed herself Your
cruelty treated former mistress" In re-
ply 20 this letter Miss Levett wrote to
Mr.. DearSly:
Il was very much surprised at the
letter I received from Mrs. DearSly this
morning l thought IL best TO write
back TO You. / think you are most I'M
kind in not attempting to do anything
for me. I should not be as | am If you
had not come into my bedroom as you
did. have told you all along that
was In the family way, and you prom
iSed 20 do all in your power for me. l
am glad | did not 90 up TO London, as
you wanted ne 20 do; for If / had gone
you would have taken no more notice of
ne. | should have had to have done
the best ! could. / only wish l had told
mother long ago instead of going TO
Lewes 10 see DR.. Turner; but you know
when / wanted 10 tell mother last No
vember you persuaded me TO 90 TO
LeweS 20 see the doctor.
Il am not surprised at Mrs. DearSly
being cross with me, but l should have
told her long ago IL il had not been for
YOU. You know often used TO tell you
how I felt l was deceiving her, but l
don't mean TO tell any stories about 1t,
as you do not seem to care bit about
me. I am glad ] never received a ring
of YOU, as you wanted me TO do very
often. Mrs. Dearsly need not think l
have told the lies about you, and l dare
say the truth will come out
on the Judgment day, and the
mouths OF all liars be stopped
/ have sent Mrs. DearSly'S sacrament
book, and the book l took 10 LeweS for
her | will send as soon as Clara brings it
from LeweS Her little machine book
found in my machine, so have sent it. |
did not Try TO destroy the love of man
and wife You know how | used to tell
you of going into the pantry chattering
and kissing me, but IL was no good, you
would do it. l did not think you were
so hard hearted as what you must be not
to have wrote or done anything for me
after bringing me 10 ruin and disgrace
jenny LEvETT."
The Rev. Mr.. Dearsly, in his evil
Gence, said that he was an n. A. OF
Cambridge University and a member of
the Senate: he was ordained in 1853,
and was married the same year. In re-
ply to question put by his counsel,
Mr. II. +. Dickens, as 10 the suggestion
of the prosecution that there was 'some
meaning in the exclamation of Mrs.
Dearsly as 10 what had happened to
"poor Sarah" the Rev. Mr. Dearsly said
that a girl named Sarah Mepham had
been in his employ some years ago aud
that she had left in the spring OF 1850.
He told her, as he told all his servants,
that II they ever wanted a friend, they
were 10 come 10 him. Sarah, it APP
pears, on November is OF the