A SALVATION ARMY CAPTAIN IN TROUBLE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1104, 22 June 1883, Page 3

A SALVATION ARMY CAPTAIN IN TROUBLE.

At the Bath (England) Police Conrt on April 2, William Joseph Powell, “ captain ” of the local Salvation Army, was charged with neglecting to contribute towards the support of the illegitimate child of one Melinda Elizabeth Harding. Complainant was a domestic servant, and was, until a few months ago, living in service in Bristol. Since then she had been living with her mother at Bath Defendant was a gentleman, who had described himself as an evangelist, and Was the proprietor of a meeting-house in Newark street, Bath. Complainant made the acquaintance of the defendant about December, 188 D, and, short'v after an intimacy commenced ami a courtship took place, or, as the girl said, they “ kept company ” together. In February, 1881, Powell left Bristol and went to London for the purpose, as he informe I the girl, of preparing to take a command under “ General ” Booth in the Salvation Army, and tins intimacy existed for some time. So matters went on until the girl lent him her watch and also some money. She wanted this watch and money back, and this gave rise to a quarrel between them, The! courtship, for a little while, was discontinued. But this little quarrel brought a renewal of the love, and Ou May. 8, 1882, ■ complainant visited Bath for the purpose, of adjusting with defendant some little differences that had arisen, and mure especially as to something that he had been saying about her. She went to the “barracks” in Newark street, and there she was shown into a loom which Powell called the vestiy—a private room adjoining the meeting house. At this time Powell was holding week-day services, and on this Momlay, after the service, about two o’clock, the girl saw him in his private room, an 1 often asking her why she came, and the girl teding him her reason, he began to try to persuade her to renew thiir courtship, and, upon his promising to be faithful foi the future, the cour ship was renewed. In Febrnaiy he left Bristol for Loudon, and on the 4tb March he wrote from Hackney, addressing her as “ Dear Lizzie," and regretting that he could not say goort-bye before he left, but saying that he did so “with heart” The letter concluded with “ Pray for me as I do for you,’ and “ 1 want you to write as soon as you get this, and if you can send a few stamps do, as you know very well how I am fixed ” She had just a day or two before recovered her watch from a pawnbroker’s shop in Westgate street, Bath. Another letter from defendant, thankfully acknowledging the stamps, contained the following ; —“ 1 have not the slightest idea where* am to be sent to, but it is a matter of indifference, as 1 am satisfied to go anywhere for Jesus. ... I want you to get me the loan of a sovereign. . '. . Write by return of post, for (rod’s sake. Oh ! 1 wish I was a'ongside of yon, 1 know I could coax you to do what I ask you.” Then followed a series of kisses, indicated by crosses. A third letter acknowledged the receipt of the sovereign, informed her that where he was they were not suppos-d to keep company with any female until they were twelve months in the work, and said he wanted her tn " live right until I am in a station, and then I will come and sre you or send for you.” When he re urned fiorn London he visited her, and she came to see him at Bath in May, 1882. and subsequently a child was born, of which defendant was the father. Cross-examined by defendant: He w role a post-card to her, saying; “Deem not to write to me no more, you wilful wanton.” Defendant cross-examined the complainant in sudi an offensive manner that lhe Bene i hid to threaten to commit him. Ultimately they stopped him, and he sat down saying : “There’s nothing the matter, 1 may as well sit down.” Evidence in corroboratum of the o unp aiiiant’s story was given by a number of witnesses. One George Lightfoot, a storekeeper of Chippenham, said that Powell did not de; y his intimacy with Harding, but said that sine; then he had been oonveited “a second tim .’ Witness did not make love to defendants present wife. Re did not go to her and say “ Miss Brown, I a n despeiaiely in love with you ; I have £2OO in the hank, and I will draw it out and build you a chapel if you will marry me.”—(Laughter.) He was not discharged from the Army by defendant. He never was a member of it. but be had supported it. He was prepared to for feit his life if he went down on his knees and acknowledged that the girl had told him to say so, and expressed fear of icing prosecuted for libelling defendant. He never , did such a thing. He never “defo med” 1 defendant’s character. Witness took out a summons against defendant for having assaulted him on OM Town Bridge, Chippenham, by seizing him by the throat and saying “If you scandalise my character I will give you a thrashing."—(Applause.) The defendant was sworn, and denied that he had had improper iniercourse with the plaintiff at any time. He had not the love for her that existed between man and woman when their natural affections were tendered to each other.—(Laughter). He never pawned her watch, but left it with his limber, and his wife pawned it. He loved her more than an ordinary female, because he believed she was a child of G id. He kissed her every time he saw her, and when he bade her good night. The courtship lasted from Januory 10, to July, 1882. He never was in the vestry with her, hut on the Bth May he was at the banacks in the vestry getting 500 hymn books to tike to Chippenham, when he heard a noise out side, and upon going out he saw plaintiff there charging a man named Carr with telling her to “fry her face,”—(Laughter). She said to defendant i “You knew, you hypocrite, for you told them I was drunk.” Defendant said he would have no disturbance in the barracks, and forcibly put her outside the doorway. The chairman of the Bench an judged the def-ndant to pay for the support of the chid, adding: “I do not consider that any man ever left the Court with such a stain on his character as you have.” The decision was received with cheering by the people in Court. Powell gave notice of appeal.

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