The morning call., 1894-08-21
BlDWELL'S STORY.
Existed for Six Months on
Four Dollars.
HIS LETTER TO DR.. HIRST.
Rogers Credentials Won't Bear
Close inspection.
HIS LETTER TO DR.. HIRST
HOW HE RECEIVED HIS DEGREES
tfe Says That the Bishop of Liver
pool Told Him He Could Be a
Doctor of Laws.

When the clerical court of inquiry in
the case of Rev. DR.. Hirst, pastor of Simp-
son Memorial Church. resumed its session
yesterday morning the man Rogers. who
claims to be a constable of the Al
mighty" was placed upon the Witness
stand under crOss-examinatiou.
His direct testimony, aside from his
| alleged consultations with DR.. Eirst, in
/ which he claimed to have pointed out the
! evil ways of that reverend gentleman, was
of little value to the prosecution, being
merely heGrsay. Yesterday he faltered
frequently, and on several occasions while
! being closely Intercepted he became so
confused that for time total collapse
seemed imminent. He repeatedly referred
to his carefully prepared documentary
| statement, which, however, appeared to
make matters worse.
As matter of fact, the real defendant
! in the case appeared to be Rogers him
! self. His peculiar career has been so fully
exposed, and his methods of procedure
against DR.. Hirst have developed such
/ discreditable phases. that his veracity has
! become a question of doubt among the
mem bers of the clergy before whom he is
! being Judged.
| While in this indignant mood Rev DIR.
Hammond, counsel for the defense, re-
| ferred to the authenticity of the creden-
/ tials which Rogers had placed in evidence
upon direct examination. The letters, two
in umher, bear the sigma lures of clergy
men in Liverpool and Gloucester, England.
In both cases the writing is underlined,
and in places entire words are alleged by
the counsel TO have been scratched out and
others substituted of a more compliment
airy nature. Rogers assumed degrees are
also penned In systematically, and 1t was
in reference to this particular phase that
! the witness assumed the hostile attitude
! which he maintained until leaving the
| stand.
The question of the suffixed letters of
! distinction has created no little interest
among the clergy of this city, although it
was not until yesterday that he formally
admitted their origin.
eff you are so anxious to learn how |
came to possess these marks of distinction
/ l will be pleased 10 inform you that they
were conferred upon me verbally by the
| Bishop of Liverpool" he continued. land
] am proud of the fact that l did not buy
! them, as Is the case with certain so-called
| clergyman in my bearing"
! would YOU kindly inform US to whom
you refer?" asked Rev. Mr.. Hammond.
TO the man whose name adOrns the
gilt-edged sign 10 front of this church." he
! answered with a look of scOrn.
! DR.. Ollie, to whom the reference was
! mace, treated the matter without the least
/ concern and joined in the laughter which
/ the denunciation had evoked.
The witness declared that he has for
some time past kept diaries OF no less than
a dozen prominent local ciergymen, and
| that as soon as the present examination
/ was concluded he intended insttuting
! charges of more serious nature against
| one whose reputation is considered to be
beyond reproach.
Young Bdweil, the main witness for the
! prosecution, was then called. as he
stepped upon the stand be was asked
! whether he recognized the tollowing letter.
which was then read aloud. He admitted
the authorship, after which it was entered
! as evidence:
April 90. 1894.
| ReU. DR.. Hiyst: With feeling of deep con-
TRITON write you this letter tonight possibly
TO undo the great wrong have done you.
Since first met you over TWO months ago
! you have treated me with great kindness. That
| could have so far forgotten that Kindness as
| 10 be led into a conspiracy 10 injure YOU causes
me intense pain. / can assure you, my dear doc
! tor. that am deeply penitent, and If you be-
| lieve what you preach, 1 think you ought to
/ forgive me. Please DO not forget that | am
J only boy OF 20 and have been Influenced to
make the charge that did by those who ought
| TO nave known better. l confess 1t
was base scheme to extort money
| from you, and Rogers and his son
! Albert are far more TO blame than am
know l did wrong In making such a false
statement for you have never treated me in any
/ other way Ihan that OF Christian gentleman
| anu Il lfleuu. L was nara up Tor money and
rogers sald we could make money out OF you
! by charging you with immortality. The old
man told me you would put up your last dollar
/ rather than answer such charge. 1 realize
| now what an awful crime 1t is TO blackmail an
! Innocent man, and stand ready at any time TO
say these charges are all absolutely false. All
can DO Is 10 ask your pardon and forgiveness.
| Very respectfully, L. a. BIDwELL
BidwelPs statement was as follows: He
| claims TO have landed in this city about
eight months ago and after being out of
employment and in an almost starving
! condition for many weeks, became &C
! quainted with Rogers who sent him to Dr.
| Hirst for employment
lie was cordially received and after he-
| ing clothed and well fed. he was placed in
! thee doctors Office as typewriter, which
! position he filed until the first Of Febru-
| airy when ne accepted an offer from a
concert-hall manager to sing nightly at a
! slightly augmented salary. His expert
ence before the fOotlights was of brief
! duration, as two nights after his engage
ment he was discharged and since that
time he processes to have had no visible
! means OF support.
He took up apartments in a Market
| street lOdging-houSe, and although appear
ing at all times neatly attred and iiaglIng
| coins in his pockets, he said he possessed
but "a during six months.
He said that on the goth of April he was
approa ehed by Bert Hlrst, son of Rev. DIR
Hirst. who gave him 500 as hush money
providing he would leave the city and de-
sist circulating the Infamous charges.
which had already gained some ground.
/ The foregoing letter, he claims, was also
| part of the contract, which, however. is
the only part he has fulfilled.
He maintains that upon receipt of this
money in question he placed it in a purse
! which he buried in Golden Gate Park.
until last Monday, when he recovered il
! in order to place the coins in evidence
against Dr. Hirst.
! He frankly admitted that, although the
money was where he could place his hands
upon IL at moments notice, he often
went hungry and penniless rather than
! touch it until the proper time.
His statement was made without inter
| ruption. but on cross-eXaminatiop his an
swers varied to such degree that but lit
! tie credence was given either to his nara
! tive of the alleged crime which formed the
main topic OF his testimony or the facts of
his wanderings.
Taylor, the dry-goods man who claimed
to have heard BidwelPs original confes-
sion, was examined briefly. after which
the case for the prosecution was closed.
The court will assem- BILE this morning at
8 O'Clock, when the case for the defense
will open.
BACK To CHINA.
led