Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-02-10
REV. DR.. KIDDER FREED.
Court Decides He Vas 0alY IDiudiciau'
Rul Not GnillY.

But Not Gully.
Recorder Hugh Mara, Of Bay iune,
n. j., dismissed yesterday the COM
plant Of assault AMI battery pre-
ierred By l6-yearold Ethel Paine. the
daughter Of widow, against Rev.
Scott Kidder, pastor Of st. Johns
Episcopal Church, in Bayonne. The
acorder said that on the occasion
upon which the complaint was based
the minister had been "indiscreet,
but had not committed an assault, as
charged.
"A csse Of this kind, " said the
recorder. ordinarily attracts but
little attention This case wouldn't
have been so sensational but for the
fact that the accused is a minister Of
the Gospel A majority OF the scan
dal-loving rubberuecks who are in
Testing this court today wouldn't
be hera. IL minister wasn't in
volved."
The defense was that the Paine
girl, her mother, Mrs Mary Paine,
and her grandmother, Mrs. Lees, had
conspired 20 rob the minister OF bis
character. They lured him 60 the
house, his lawyer said, threw the
girl ia his way and bid detective in
an adjoining room.
Robert n. McUarter, Of Newark,
formerly attorney general of New
Jersey, and one Of the leading prac-
titioners of the State, appeared for
the defense. In his closing remarks,
delivered in voice that was almost
a sob MIR. McCarter said "These
women committed a great crime when
they lured this tender-hearted man of
God to their home 20 offer up prayer
to ,he Almighty fer one Of them who
was feigning illness.
DR.. KiddeI after the Paine girl and
Capt. Edward M. Griffith chief of de.
e ctives Of Bayonne had made the
case for the prosecution, took the
stand IN his own defense He told a
being called to Mrs paine's home, OF
finding her in bed, Of kneeling at The
bedside end praying for her recovery.
Ethel" said the minister, twas
very nervous and very cold / took
her on my lap and rubbed her hands,
her arms her neck and her forehead
10 restore circulation. | told her Il
bear up and be brave. She whispered
to me that It would be funny il any.
body should come in and find her Ia
my lap and, seeing her point of view,
you can bet got out OF there in D
hurry"
The accused clergyman is we'll and
favorably known here. He was o
former rector in the count, near An
napolis. and has preached at st.
Anne's Chapel. He has many friends
in this city and county who never
doubted him for a moment.
Although the charge that the Rev.
Scott Kidder, rector of st. Johns
Episcopal Church, of Bayonne, acted
improperly toward 16-year-old Ethel
Paine was dismissed by Recorder
Mara after a hearing yesterday the
| girl will tell her story this afternoon
| to the Hudson county grand jury.
The Prosecutors Office believes the
charge justifies grand jury investi.
CATION. After the case was dismiss.
ed in the police court yesterday, Mrs.
Paine and Ethel went to Prosecutor
Hudspeth's Office and Mrs. Paine ask.
ed Mr.. Hudspeth to present the case
to the grand jury. which he consented
to DO.
The girl may tell the grand jury
more than she told on the stand
before Recorder Mara, becauss evil
dence that Assistant Prosecutor Me.
Carthy wished TO introduce to show
previous relations between the Rev.
MIR. Kidder and the girl was re-
fused admission on the ground that
Testimony should be confined TO the
date mentioned in the complaint.
Ethel repeated before Recorder
Mara the story that she had told
before How when her mother was
sick the clergyman was asked to call
aud after praying at the bedside
went into the dining room. There,
the girl said, the Rev. Mr. Kidder
took hei on his lap.
Recorder Mara dismissed the case
after hearing the clergyman's txpla-
nation, saying that although he had
doubtless been indiscreet there was
no evidence of anything criminal.
Mrs. Kidder who Sat beside her
husband and his father, the Rev. s.
E. Kidder, Of Asbury Park, led in the
applause that greeted the acquittal.
Others in the court room were Arch
deacon McCleary, the Rev. George d.
Hadley, rector of ST. John's Episcopal
Church, Jersey City, and the Rev. j.
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