Manamatu Herald. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1898. The Christchurch Scandal.

Manawatu Herald, 10 June 1893, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1898. The Christchurch Scandal.

The Cathedral City seems to be the happy hunting ground of dishonest persons with a turn towards the use of religion as a cloak for their frauds. It is not complimentary to Christchurch. About three or four years ago, a person styling himself A. B. Worthington, a most unfor. tunate selection of a surname, descended from America upon the city, to teach the inhabitants a new and pleasing religion. He was accompanied by a woman whom he chose to designate as Mrs Worthington, and between them they insfci* tuted the sect known as the " Stu. dents of Truth," another unfortunate mis-nomer. Matters prospered with this pair exceedingly, as it is said that what with the erection of the temple, hall, and residence, some £12,000 passed from the flock to the teachers, a portion only being in the care of trustees. The other day circumstances transpired which has caused a fierce light to be thrown upon the doings of this model teacher and of the unhappy woman he styled his wife. The local papers published a very serious statement made by the New York press which, condensed, alleged that Worthington was a fraud and a scoundrel, that he., had taken as wives, at short intervals, eight women whom he had quickly deserted, and that he had lived comfortably out of the pockets of his dupes. That he left America suddenly and his whereabouts were unknown till a letter was received from New Zealand; and that the woman witl) him was the wife of a Mr Plunkett, who had after her attachment to Worthington, been i divorced. These appear to be two of the i'most unlikely person's to advance the cause of truth as generally understood, and are unlikely to have done much towards elevating the morality of the dupes 'who have styled themselves the Students of 1 Truth. Worthington, which it is

alleged is not the imposter's name, has managed to fall out with his latest victim and secured her expulsion from the sect ; she has been interviewed and she admitted that she war, the divorced wife of l'lunkett, and that she was aware of certain facts against the man, but that this exponent of Truth had bound her, by the peril of losing tha small tin unity he reluctantly allowed her, not to divulga, what whe knew! -The arcbimpostei. 1 refuses to reply to tho charges levelled at him, and appear* to hold his dupes so strong that they do not demand it, actually being willing to accept a simple denial on his' part. Those who have friends noy where within his influence would do well to recall them at the earliest opportunity, or more serious trouble may befall them than listening to the parody on religion the head of the sect serves out to them. We have heard of some of the proceedings, which, if true, should consign the scoundrel who sanctioned such acts to a heavy punishment, hut, true or not, the fact remains that a serious charge against the laws of this country and those he came from has been made, and until he chooses to prove that he is not the person named, all intercourse with him should cease. The woman, his late partner, has admitted she knows part of his past career, why cannot she be made to give up the information, and thereby save the happinness, and perhaps the purity, of a number of our fellow-colonists. The public at large will watch with interest what shape future proceedings, if any, will take.