THE ATKINSON CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1930, Page 5

THE ATKINSON CASE

[United Press Association—By Electrh Telegraph.—Copyright.]

(Received this day at LI a.m.,

i LONDON, April 12

Wj. M. Atkinson (not Dewar, as cabled on the 11th.) lived in York St. Marylebone for some months. His landlady believed him to be a clerk from Manchester, but he was known to have relatives in New Zealand. Atkinson was always very retiring. His room door was always closed, though a light was visible until the early hours in the morning.

FURTHER PARTICULARS

WELLINGTON, April 14

Atkinson, referred to in the London cable yesterday, came to Wellington from Sheffield, England, where he was employed in the works of Sir Robert Hadfield. He had been a professional association football player in the Sheffield United team. He was a big man physicially. He bad no interest in drawing, but while in Wellington'’suddenly developed a facility of drawing extraordinary pictures. He apparently drew automatically. He would look at the ceiling and elsewhere, and draw. He was advised to go to England, and did so, and be was understood to be engaged in commercial drawing. When in New Zealand Atkinson refuted the idea, that spiritualism was the cause of his drawings, and was inclined to be worried about it. According to a friend in Auckland, he, Atkinson met Conan Doyle who said that apparently he was under the spiritual influence of some artist, but Atkinson was inclined to sneer at this.