FULL CONFESSION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 888, 6 August 1910, Page 5

FULL CONFESSION.

MR. HUCH-WARD ADMITS EVERYTHING. "DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE." A SATYR IN HUMAN FORM. "When 1 awoko this morning witS my mind full of the dhildren'g Hospital scheme, I reached out- for The Dominion as usual. On© of tho first things that naught my eye were the names'of the Revs. J. J. North and Dr. 1 Gibt,' an 3 I said to myself—lsn't this delightful; hero are these two good Christian men come out to help mo in tho hospital scheme. This is real bully!; To.' my great astonishment, I found that they, had dragged out the old 'Grrl' again, and I had a good think ovor it—l think a good deal. After mature deliberation 1 have come to the conclusion that it will bo best for me and my pot hospital' scheme to make a full and: free '.'"confession to end the matter. (1) "I am the most shocking creaitnw who has ever visited your city, and imy one desire is to do everything and anything I can to shock the susceptibilities of the public, either privately or «tn tho stago. (2) "I have broken all the Commandments, and if there are any more to' shatter and batter-1 am aftor them. If anyone knows of any more will -,they plcaso bring them round to the OperaHouse to let mo.deal with tbem.T.A.; (3) "It is true that I lrave";[sa±aiuo attributes, and every member of "my company lS imp of tho EvilOno, and they gloiy in the fact. (4) "Having supernatural pewore over tho hearts and minds of all men, and women, I can influence them to believe anything I like. In confidence, 1 .am really a bad. actor, but such -is--'my deadly power that.l can persuade .tho public—sometimes—that I am a 'good one. I can hypnotise the press, .anjd.it is my Svengalic-'spirit which guided tho pens of the critics of. Dunedin, Christchurch, ami' Wellington' in )v 6ne way, and the Auckland 'btar'. other. Theso men-of the press are-my slaves and hirelings, and come, under my Bpell as soon as they enter'" the theatre. At times .I ehaugo the.-.play without the public-being awaro 'of it. We played 'Hamlet' last Wednesday, but all present thought it wis 'The Girl From Rector's.' Ha I ha 1 ~ . . . (5) "Of an afternoon my greatest delight is to follow little children, and hiss - certain Gi bbnorthian words *' into their tender little ears,_ that they, may, go home and ask their parents' "embarrassing questions, and, as,.l do it, I laugh a loud —Hal ha!

(6) "On Sunday I'm a 'lighthouse.' I steal all tho oheap spirits and bad beer l oan lay my hands on, and purvey, it to human derelicts so thai "I; may drag thorn down—down—down — DOWN! .

(7) "On Sunday evenings—nvy j -one night off —I prowl.round the ..banks and, treasure stores, planning my 2 a.m. burglaries for the coming week. I'm very successful in this line of business, for I so arrange a burglarious 'coup that it shall not,,be wo leave the town. ' It. then,never occurs to the local Sherlock Holmes to raspcct, Ward •Hie Actor. : Hal ha 1 ' .' , (8) "If they are not very careful, and I am not watched, the receipts for most Saturday afternoon's matinee for the Children's' Hospital will bo .mine—afl mine I But I must keep this out of the press. This morning tors.sWiltonl suggested to mo that a banking account should be opened.' Not on yonr'lifol I'm holding it all—allr Let the children suffer. What do. I 'care, likewise mr, troubles. s (9) "I havo argued it out in my own fiondish way thai this money will only i' givo them comfort.', decent muL proper Mod. skilled nursing', and medical attention. Why should they not suffer? Why should not tho percentage of deaths among children increase rather than diminish? I chnckle'in my glee at tho thought of ihe death percentage growing higher—higher. Hal ha!; Why should not New Zealand have tweak and- puny meiv and women, born of those neglected in. their youth? Thai' ticldos mo to death. I hope these secret thoughts of mine will never get-to the public ear. My reputation as a purveyor of all that .is shocking m mj" business, my, keen'desire to only know and understand tho worst and roost pessimistic side of life, and tho furthea hope that gloom' and suffering may continue all depends on that. _ And chanty, . the perfume of one's existence, must not be aided if I can help it. Let it be blotted oat. ."'Hal Hal '' ' '

(10) "How I' would havo' loved to have lived in medieval times, when tie rack and thumbscrew wero at ,work, and how lucky are they who are thci ro incarnation o* those delightful people, who, though they cannot perform the sarno acts physically, can operate" with tongue ana mind. Really,' I feci' so callous and villainbus that I .fear, an ancestor of mine . must havo ..been. a professional torturer in the Spanish Inquisition, so great 'is my hate and loathing for all humanity, and ;.rn:; pjir-; ticular for little children who suffer. I squirm and shudder in dismay and misery wlieu I think that a hospital is to be built for them—that:they'will be on soft beds, be tended carefully,' and bo given the best of medical treatment* (11) "Yes. I am all this,-and-worse,, if the worla only knew, but as to the gentlemen who in the pulpit and. press havo discussed me so personally I would hold out -the' glad handkof .forgiveness—l wa^.-.nearly -saying for* Gibb-ness—if they would each purchase one ticket for next Saturday's matinee, or do anything else sensible, even if it be only giving 'The Girl' a rest. She is so tired working overtime all the week; and, mv sweet public, do all you can to make Children's Hospital. Saturday S °' "HUGH J. WARD,*