A MAHATMA IN LONDON.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 204, 18 August 1908, Page 3

A MAHATMA IN LONDON.

r I\HE 110LY MAN OF THE EAST,

I !here are people who would oi vo a good deal to sen a leal live Mahatma. it now appears that one has been liviii" tor two years in London. Kin™ have worshipped at his feet, but a French of seventeen lias outmatched the

wisdom of the la teat iucanmtioii ol uislina. flic Alahatiua, Agamya Uuru .lit stiongest and hu]>i>iest man in tin vorld, has been lmlcd before a police "J. 1 ,,¥ u ' ' li,s 1)5011 remanded oii bail. i-i ,!■* sto, T) as recorded by tin "ily Chronicle;— A picturesque personality, who, acordmg to the police, claimed to lie the god of the gods," the incarnation ol inshna, and the strongest and happiest Jan in the world, adorned the dock at laryle.bone Police Court on 24th .lime. Jis name was given as the Jlahatma iganiya Uitni, aged 07, and liis occupalon as "Holy man of the East," living t HO, Holdhurst-terracc, West Hamptead. The more prosaic part of the liarge-sheet accused liini of assaulting 'Uzaune Al.laveue, aged 17, residing at leigh ton-road, Upper Clapton. The accused is a stately and imposing icrsonage from India. He is of conlderable proportions, with a full flesh ace, clean shaven, a large nose and lark piercing eyes, and appeared in ourt wearing an amber-colored turban nth a flowing tail, a loose green gown, ml white .shoes. His gokl-i'immed spiracles served to impart an intellectual ppearance. In opening the proceedings for the rosecution, Mi-. Freke Palmer said that list Wednesday there appeared in a lewspaper tiie following very simpie dvertisement: "An intelligent ladv ypist wanted, 8s a week. Live in llise. 'omforlable home. Secretary, 110, ioldhurst-terraee, K.W.' ! Jtiss Allaveue, a youug French girl, nswerod.the advertisement, and, said Jr. Palmer, went to the address. The !oor was opened by a woman who, at he same time that she'admitted Miss Ula.veue, let out of the house another •oung lady who had evidently been here on a similar errand. After some ouvcrsation the woman explained (hit this place is not quite what you think t is. There is very little typing to do." then, referring to some one whom Miss Ulaveue understood to be the person hat had advertised, the .woman enuired if she would like to see iiim, and ?ft the room to fetch him. When the woman returned, said .thu olicitor, she was accompanied by tl» ivisouer, whom she introduced. The roman then left, and the prisoner, havag closed the door, took a seat by the ido ol the applicant,'and entered into onversation. "There is very little typng to do here," he said. "We are not lere like the West End people. What is ■our religion V' She told him she was a lonian Catholic. "Ah," he exclaimed, 'that is the trouble, because 1 don't vant you to confess." In the end, Mr. Palmer continued, mother person entered the room, and ihe was taken by the woman who had idmitted her to the house to another .•ooiu upstairs, where the woman explained to her her duties. We want women here," she said. " who are of our own belief. We don t

want those who believe in Christ, bo- I cause he "—referring evidently to the accused—" is an Indian god. There are many ladies in this house, and he loves them very much. It is heaven in here, and outside is all hell." Shortly afterwards the prisoner entered the room, and, according to the evidence that would be called, Jlr. Palmer said, lie kissed her, pressed her to him, and while she was struggling lo get away told her he loved her awl every one in the house. After a good deal of struggling she managed to get away, and left the house, promising, in reply to his request, that she would cad again on Monday. She would, in tact, have promised him auy.thing iu order

to get away. She then communicated J with her parents, and they in turn informed the police, with the result that the prisoner was arrested by DetectiveInspector Wallace. The solicitor for the prosecution said "tluitw when the charge was read accused made the following reply:—"l am very sorry. I am a holy man from the East, 07 years of age, and never in all my life have 1' had anything like this lumpen before. In my own country kings worship at my fce.t, and it is an insult for me to be placed in such a position for a girl like that. She. was examined by my huly disciple, and promised ti come back on Monday, but did not ilj so. It is a great disgrace, and all for some, wandering girl who came for a situation. 1 refused her because she was French." Hut the C»urt would hear, sanl Jlr. Palmer, that the " wandering girl " was not the only person who lmd complained. The' police had liaxl numerous complaints about the prisoner, and those complaints would be made the subject of investigation. After the prisoner had been arretted his premises were searched. and among Ids papers was found an application to the Board of lrade foi a license under a section of the I oiiipanies Act. The application was " for a license directing an association about to be formed under the name of Parliament of Truth, to be registered with limited liability, without the addition I of the word •limited' to the mime. ) Mr.'Palmer said he did not know whether the object of that omission was because there was no limit to the: train or because there was no limit to the lust. The objects of the proposed association were said to be:- ' (1) J- 0 teach Vedaniic philosophy; (2) the doin" all such other lawful things as aie incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above object.' Jliss Allaveue, a good-looking „nl dark complexion, neatly dressed, was called, and bore out m the mam Story told by Mr. Frekc. Palmer. A detective said prisoner had be™" l England two years and spoke good Ln„ '"lt this point the prisoner was remanded, bail being allowed, two siuetns in £l5O or one in £3OO.