THE RUNAWAY VICAR.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 540, 8 February 1913, Page 5

THE RUNAWAY VICAR.

DRAMATIC DISAPPEARANCE. TRACED TO THE BALLARAT. A BISHOP'S EULOGIUM. London, Thursday. The name of the lady Sunday school teacher with whom the Rev. M. Knight, vicar of Hunslett, luft England, is Miss Grimes. Knights marked attentions to her caused a split in the congregation last year, one side defending the vicar, and the other being full of misgivings at his conduct. The gossip, however, waß silenced in September by Miss Grimes quitting Leeds for the south of England. It was renewed a month or two later, when Knight spent hia six weeks' vacation in the town where Miss Grimes was staying.

Knight carefully planned his flight from start to finish. He went for a six-mile walk with hiß wife, and when they were standing on the edge of the cliff Flamborough Head, he pretended to take a photogaph by flashlight. It was during the flash that he pretended to fall backwards over the cliff, making bis disappearance as dramatic as possible. He then got away to the railway station, and travelled to London.

Knight was a highly-Btrung, emotional man. As a preacher he followed the methods of the revivalists, and during his term as vicar, he raised the congregation at Hunßlett from 20 to 600. The day before he disappeared he had his hair cut unusually short. Despite his wife's objections, there was an impressive memorial service, at which the Bishop of Leeds eulogised the deceased's work and personality. It has transpired that Knight attempted to murder his wife on three occasions, by poison, strangling and drowning. The woman Grimes participated in Knight's crusade against the white slave traffic, taking a position in a clothing factory for this purpose. Knight, under the name of King, stayed on a farm in Sussex since October, learning poultry farming prior to emigrating, where the woman Grimes, poßing as his wife, accompanied him. Knight was abßent from his home at week ends, and for three weeks at Christmas. After his appearance he returned to the farm in Sussex and took the woman Grimes to the Ballarat.

ASSISTED PASSENGERS. MISERABLE MARRIED LIFE. London, Thursday. The Evening News states that Knight and Miss Grimes are aboard the steamer Port Lincoln, having obtained assisted passages from the Victorian Government. Knight is in possession of £375. Miss Suffield, Miss Grimes' girl friend, alleges that she was awaie of the scheme for Knight's disappearance. Knight declared that his married life was miserable. Miss Grimes wrote to Miss Suffield stating that she and Knight were going to Australia.