ASSAULT HOAX

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1927, Page 3

ASSAULT HOAX

CONFESSION BY FAITH-HEALER

MEI.BOCHNE, Nov. 10

Pastor Thomas visited the police station at Warmgul and made a .statement that his story of being tarred and hound was a fabrication. He said that he tarred and hound himself in the hope that members of the Pentecostal faith who had been interfering with liis spiritual work would he blamed and lie would gain sympathy among his converts in Warragul. The confession has caused a sensation in local religious circles, where Thomas, who is a young man. had a large following. Being tut eloquent preacher, he gained many converts. Thomas was later charged with offensive behaviour, and was remanded until Tuesday next.

In his statement Thomas said he came to Australia as an assisted immigrant nine months ago and had taken up preaching. When he went to Warragul lie heard that certain elders of the Pentecostal Church intended to denounce him. and in order to avoid one of them ho took a walk along a road, where he saw a tin of pitch. He then got the idea, stripped himself of his clothes, and spread pitch over his body. He also found a coil of fencing wire, with which lie hound his hands behind his hack. [An earlier cable message stated that the police were investigating a remarkable story told by Pastor Evan Thomas, a Welsh evangelist and faithhealer, belonging to the Pentecostal Church, Richmond, who recently had been holdings meetings at Warragul. Thomas stated that three men accosted him in tin l main street of Warragul and asked him if lie were a faithhealer. On receiving an affirmative reply tliev requested him to see a

woman who was seriously ill and tool him in a ear. He said he received : heavy blow on the head and when In recovered consciousness lie found him self stripped of liis clothing and alonr in a paddock. |