Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-02-02
RECTOR ACCUSED or
KISSING YOUNG GIRL
Rev Mr.. Kidder, Formerly Of
This County in Trouble.
CAUGHT BY MOTHERS RUSE
Feigued Illness, While Detective Vas
10 House, for Evidence To Sup
port Accusation,

Despite the fact that charges have
been made against him by the daugh-
ter Of one Of his parishioners, Rev.
Scott Kidder pre- ached as usual yes
terday morning Ia st. Johns Episco-
pal Church, Bayonne. N. j.. of which
he is rector, says despatch from
New York. The vestrymen are await
ing the result Of the case, which
comes before Recorder Mara today.
Rev. Mr.. Kidder is well known in
Annapolis, and the country, having
served for a number of years az rec
tor of the Parish at Millersville. The
despatch reads
Elizabeth Paine. the i6-year-old
daughter of Mrs. Mary Paine, a
widow, reiterated the charges against
he rector after he had been served
with summons by Detective Griffin.
The minister, who is married and
80 years old, lives at II West Thirty
third street. he has the full conf
dence Of his congregation and his
wife
According to the girl, her mother,
who has been desperately i'll for
months, sent her, late in November.
to the church TO carry message
The minister was alone in the edifice,
and the girl alleges that he assumed
most affectionate manner, hugging
and Kissing her. Because of her
mothers grave condition, the girl
says she kept the affair secret then.
Later Ma. Kidder was called to the
Paine home to give the mother spirit
ual advice and pray with. her. The
girl charges that Mr.. Kiddvr again
kissed hand Rugged her in the dining
room Of her home. Still she kept the
matter from her mother.
"Later, Miss Paine alleges, the
minister again caressed her in her
home, and she told her grandmother,
Mrs. Mary Lees, what had occurred.
Mrs. Lees says she also feared to tell
her daughter of the alleged hugging
and kissing, and kept the Sc cret until
last week, when Mrs. Paine's health
was much improved. Then the full
story was told. On Monday last Mrs
Paine seat for Captain Of Detectives
Edward M. Griffin and told him Of
the minister's alleged attentions to
her little daughter.
Acting on Captain Grifiin's ad-
vice, Mrs. Paine went to bed and
wo I'd was sent Mr. Kidder that she
was again dangerously i'll and wanted
him TO come pray with her. Captain
Griffin hid in a corner Of the dining
room, which was darkened. Mr.. Kid
der came at once to the widow, and
while he prayed with the mother the
daughter kneeled at the bed and join
ed in the prayer. After prayers Mr..
Kidder went into the dining-room.
Ethel was instructed by Griffin TO en-
ter the room befIre him.
Griffin, in his statement to the
police I'm support of the girls com
plant. declares that from his place OF
hiding he saw enough TO justify
char &c against the minister. Until
he left the house Mr.. Kidder did mo-
know that the widow was feigGinl
illness. Mr.. Kidder was ordained a
minister in June, 1908, at the Cattle.
dral OF st. John by Bishop Potter and
became rector of st. Philips Church
at Ciompton, K. l. He was made rec
tor OF the Bayonne Church last fall
and at once won the esteem and ad
miration of his congregation.