VICAR IN THE TOWER.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 July 1919, Page 6

VICAR IN THE TOWER.

. ________’_____________ DETAINED FOR A FORTNIGHT. ..__0...._. AN UNEXPLAINED ACTION. Considerable interest was I'ocenfly aroused in England by the action of the authorities in detaining the Rev. Everard Digby in the Tower of London for 21 fortnight. ‘Mr Digby was wellknown in boxing circles, and had been attachgfi to the‘ troops at Blackdoxvn, ‘WIS be-'ng detained in connection wit‘, Duriu.-3; ‘lie fortnight Mr Digby jvas an alleged incident in the West End in the 'l‘; §\‘(‘?.' he was not a prisoner. He w-_l.< Niotted a room adjourning the «guard-room. and under the surveillance 01’ a special guard mounted near the eastern casemates. The heavy ironStudded Gool‘ was not locked, and the Dad“? ‘-Wls free to come and go about the TOWOI‘ ggrounds, and also to go into :‘°‘““ 0“ sl“"¢ial Occasions acconlpanicd o_v an escort.

The papery cofiectod with the mattcr were referred to the military authox'i‘rios_, and, apparently it was decided thaf n_o C1Ia"{;:* could be made agninw him. -

Mr Digby. seen in the Tn\s7Cl' by a press I'cpl'o:3:‘n-f::’rivo. asserted that it was :1 cast‘ of mistaken idenfity; and he fully aljiicipated an éarly release. “As a matter of fact.” he said, “I do not know exactly sxfhat the alleged

offence is, because no definite charge‘ has yet been made; but, whatever it‘; was. at the time it wzzs supposed to; have taken place I was at a Masonic I Lodge. It is :1 case of mistaken iilcntity.” I Since his return to St. Agathais vicar age, Finsbury, the “sporting parson,”l as he is called, lias received the con-i gl'{lT_lll{lTiQllS of inany of his p.:lrishiov_v_~ hrs. ' _ “The maiter is uofi ye‘: ended,” .\‘[:-I Digby told 21 press representative. “It i will have to be forced »to an issue, but in view ‘of the fact that I am asking" fur 21, full in(luil‘_y, in order to‘ show that I am cleared zxlholutely, you must ex—l cuse me from making a statement at: present. I shall have :1 good (lml to? say probably late-1' on. lleauwhilc the matter is in the hands of my solicitor, ,1 and it would not be right for me to; discuss all that has liapponecl.” - ! Ml‘ Digby’:~: work. at .»\l(lel'shot 1135' been liiglily zipmecizltecl, :m(l during‘ his absence his work was shared by the * other chaplains of the c.omm.:nlr.l. , ...._._.==___.._..