The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-03-23
CASE OF KIDNAP
Rev. ]. P. Lytton's Ac-
tons are Explained.
Diocesan Magazine Refutes Story
From San Francisco-Many
Misfortunes.

In the current issue of the Diocesan
Magazine the editor refutes the arti-
sic regarding Rev. ]. J. Lytton which
appeared in the San Francisco Post
and tells another story of the details
Of Mr.. Lytton's stay in San Francisco.
The first part of the story is as fol-
lows: Last SUMMER, in the city of
San Francisco, our worthy citizen, Mr.
James Campbell, was entrapped and
narrowly escaped with his life from
the den of thieves in which he had
been chained down. And now the Rev.
James P Lytton has fallen among
thieves in the same city, who spared
no pains to rob him of his reputation
and character, and ruin him for life.
Our readers have some of them been
shocked by an article copied into the
Pacific Commercial Advertiser from
the San Francisco Post, that purported
to describe his goings on both on board
the steamship Australia and in San
Francisco. We say some, because ma
Lightly and falsehood were so apparent
between the lines of the article that the
majority of readers can hardly fail to
have detected internal evidence which
rendered il wholly unworthy of ere
dence.
1T is enough to state that the
charges brought against Mr. Lytton by
the Post were of so grave a nature.
that, were there any solid foundation
for them, they would subject him to
trial in an ecclesiastical court. and. if
proven, would require his deposition
or at least suspension from the minis
try of the Church.
This being so. very careful inquiry
has been made into the allegations,
with this result:
with regard to the voyage to the
Coast, an assurance has been given
over the joint signatures Of the chief
officer, and the doctor of the steamship
Australia, that there was nothing in
Mr.. Lytton's conduct on board unbe-
coming clergyman. Mr. Lawless also
corroborates what Mr. Lytton himself
asserts that as to playing poker he
doesn't even know how to play it.
Next, ii may not be generally
known that Mr. Lytton, though ap-
parently vigorous, is a very sick man.
As an old soldier he is not one to let
his ailments be known 70 the public.
Hence, few are aware that he did not
escape scot free from the campaign in
which he served. He was often quite
exhausted after officiating at one serv-
ice on Sunday: on the Sundays. on
which he was responsible for three
services in the Bishops absence, it
took him two or three days to recu-
perate.
His chronic ailment being aggra-
waited by 2 severe cold caught two days
before landing in San Francisco. he
was in state Of nervous prostration
when he reached his hotel And from
all that has been learned his condition
became such that he ought not to have
been allowed to 90 about the city by
himself. Then followed a series of mis-
fortunes which in a less weak condi-
ton he would probably have avoided.
Whether they occurred through sheer
accident, or through advantage being
taken Of his Frustrated condition
mentally and bodily is immaterial TO
this discussion: the facts however. re-
main that he was driven by a hack
man TO a house he had no intention of
visiting. and through the loss of a
considerable sum Of money he was
compelled 10 telegraph for the means
of continuing his journey to Denver.
These mishaps furnished the scribbler
in the Post with the warp on which he
wove his tissue of calumny
What has so far been said will
doubtless be sufficient TO satisfy every
fair-minded person that certain Incl
dents which are admitted furnish no
ground whatever for the charges made
by the Post and repeated by the Ad-
vertiser
There is, however. another side TO
this episode which every one is in
terested in looking into. Is it credible
that guests at the Occidental are shad-
owed by emissaries of the Press? BY
no means. What object could a San
Francisco paper have - Giving or pro-
Tossing to give 'n--'l1d account of
the actions ~ e1o-~--:'ar ~-Ho wos
an eOtiro c+-o-~e- - -N~4 oi-v VIII -n
name was r-oNlbly unl1~~v-r e~oe0t
to the clergv7 To this o''ns-ior 'bere
is only the answer. More at all unless
it was naid for inserting it