A Clergyman in Trouble.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 19, 23 March 1870, Page 3

A Clergyman in Trouble.

(Melbourne Arc/us.J Some few months ago a gentleman made his appearance on Ballarat in the character of a clergyman, who alleged that he hud been badly treated by an ecclesiastical superior in another colony, and his cause was warmly espoused by many of those who are constantly in the habit of shielding, as far as possible, the victims of any alleged tyranny. This gentleman had not been here long before he took occasion to remark upon the poorness of the quartz which ho had been shown at some of our batteries, and said that in one portion of New ,South Wales where he had been, stone of amazing richness was to he seen lying on the surface, and he made no.secret of giving a description of the locality to one or two of the more inquisitive of his friends. Some of the “ foxes” of the Corner got wind of the reverend gentleman’s narrative, and shepherded him closely to get information, at the same time making overtures to pay him handsomely, and to give him a “ good show” in the new company they intended to form if he would lay them on to the right spot. These offers wove meekly declined, as it was said that it would be discreditable to the cloth if he were to mix himself up with mining speculations. To go to find the fabulously rich lode without a guide would, it was thought, be useless, and might induce others to go searching who might be more successful, and the object of the Corner men would be defeated.

But no guide was to be found but the clergyman bimself. He was offered XIOOO in cash, and 500 paid-up shares on the floating of the company if lie would disclose the secret and point out the lode. This he said he thought an absurd offer. If ho had it in his power, he would gladly do so without recompense, and if he felt any desire to hold a mining interest, he would have no paid-up shares—he would he content with contributing. Circumstances, however, rendered it very inconvenient, if not impossible, for him to visit the district, and a hint was thrown out that he had left in debt and could not face his creditors, but still the offer of money was declined. Overcome at last by the solicitations of the few speculators in this grand secret, ho agreed to go and point out the golden reef, the terms being that he was to receive ,£IOO in cash before leaving the colony. His expenses to the spot were to be paid ; £SO in cash was to be paid him on the spot, as soon as the lode was shown ; and on the successful floating of the company, he was to get £SOO in cash, and shares to a similar amount. A very keen and canny Scotchman, who is alleged to sleep always with one eye open, and an equally keen speculator, were selected to accompany him, as he had made it a strict condition that the two best judges of quartz reefs and of their value that could begot should accompany him. While this arrangement was being concluded, a counter movement was initiated by another batch of speculators, who had got to leeward of the scent, and who had arranged to send their scout to watch the parson and his two friends, and, if possible, to take the rich bone from them before they could get in The reverend pilot was paid his £IOO, and he and Ills friends sailed for Sydney. Tluv

irreverend scout followed next day overland. The first party got to the Ihsc township they would see before reaching the golden ground; and the scout, who had been there before them, and who had gone on to Sydney, now returned, and took up his quarters in the same township, bur. kept in tbe shade ; having, it appears, ascertained before ho went on to Sydney that there never had been any such reefs heard, of in the neighbourhood. Hero it transpired, so the story goes, that a third party, to whom the offer to show the reef was made, had engaged the services of a Melbourne detective—a private officer, L presume—to watch both the parson's party and the scout. Next morning a trap left the township with the parson and another ; within a quarter of an hour the scout was after them ; and shortly alter ho left a horseman, supposed to bo tlio detective, took the same direction as the others did. The Scotchman, who Ins suffered severe bodily, if not mental, sickness since ho left,, and his party, less the clergyman and the scout, have returned to Ballarat, and curse the day they wore over tempted to believethe clergyman. It may simply have been an error of judgment on his part iu placing an absurdly high value on the quality of the quartz ; but whether an error of judgment or a design, the anticipations of getting gold by tbe ton, havo not been, and are not likely over to bo, realised. There was plenty of quartz to bo seen, and some men who were at work on one of the reefs reported that they had got pretty good stone, which would yield from 12dwt. to 15d\vt. per ton, but tlio expense of getting machinery up to such a place and such a distance would require much richer atone than that to bo found.