The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-03-31
GREAT LOVER
ROLE LAID TO
AGED RECTOR
Called Me Darling, Queen
of My Heart Says Girl
He Tried to Save
'MISDEEDS' ARE TOLD
17-Year-0Id Witness Says
60-Year- old Uncle Had
Many Young 'NieCeS.'
BY HERBERT MOORE
United Press Stah Cnrresnnndenf


LONDON, March 31.-The white
haired 60-year-old rector of Stiffkey
pronounced Stewky), DR.. Harold
F. Davidson, who is undergoing
church trial on charges of improper
conduct with host of women, ha-
bitually addressed golden-haired
Barbara Harris, II, as darling,
queen of my heart" according to
testimony of Sylvia Harris, Bar
bara's 22-year-old sister, today.
Sylvia created minor sensation
by asserting that she too had been
"pestered" by the clergyman.
Sylvia followed Barbara as wit
ness after the younger girl had
dueled for seven hours with the
rector'S counsel in gruelling cross
examination.
In supporting the charges against
the divine, she laid bare her own
past.
Made Fuss Over
"He made fuss over me-" Syl-
via declared, eying the immaculate
and we'll poised figure of the elderly
Davidson, who gave little indication
that he had heard her.
She told of Davidson visiting the
house where she was employed as
domestic.
Il was furious" she declared, st
told him it was enough to get me
the sack"
Baby-faced Barbara's stories of
black eyes, appendicitis scar in
vestigations and other incidents in
the social research career of the
Wihte-haired rector were to be
elaborated by other witnesses to-
day.
The witnesses are attracting a
record breaking audience for their
stories, which are making the trial
the most sensational in English
church history.
Barbara Harris testified that the
rector had requested that she call
him "Uncle Harold" and said that
he had many more similar "nieceS."
Rescue Work" Is Defense
The crowd outside was thrown
into conmotion this morning when
the taxi driver who had brought
DR.. Davidson to court called a po-
liceman and complained that the
rector had paid him a penny in
stead of a half crown, or half dol
lar, which is similar to penny in
size.
The policeman recovered the bal
ance of 20 pence due the cabbie.
Barbara alleged that the rector
always wanted her, and that, on the
many occasions he came to her
room, he never talked religion, "and
he had plenty of other girls" she
added.
The aim of the Norwich consis-
tory court, as brought out by Ro-
land Oliver, counsel for the bishop
of Norwich, was to determine
whether the rector'S association with
women was for the salvation of
their souls or the indulgence of the
rector. DR.. Davidson's defense was
that he was engaged in rescue work.
Barbara told how she had given
the rector a black eye on one of
his visits to her, and how, another
time, he had saved her from
strong arm" lover, who wanted to
smash her face.
Tells of Suicide Threat
During one passage in which she
said DR.. Davidson told her she
looked like Greta Carlo, she in
sisted to the rector'S counsel. r. F.
Levy, that she had no desire to be
a movie star because she could not
face a camera.
The girl generally upheld the
charges of the bishops counsel that
the rector spent most of his time
in London systematically mis-
behaving himself with young
women. The prosecution charged
that he paid rent for a number of
young girls.
Barbara recalled that the rector
had threatened to commit suicide
after performance of Oscar
Wilde's "Salome" The rector said
he would kill himself unless she
accompanied him to his room, she
said.
After they got to the room, she
added, L stamped on the floor, but
I didn't scream. I gave him a
black eye"