THE HUNSLET MYSTERY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 221, 6 February 1913, Page 5

THE HUNSLET MYSTERY.

the vicar elopes. By Cable—Press Association —Copyright. London, February 4. The villagers of Bridlington are inU'lised at discovering that the Rev. Mr. Knight, of iiunslct, did not fall over the dill at I'laiuljorough Head, as they had made an indefatigable search for his body for three weeks. The. Rev. Mr. Knight was a popular cricketer, footballer and boxer, lie had lately treated his wife violently, and had behaved quoerly. On January IS he compelled his wife to accompany him to Bridlington, and from there tramped six miles in the mud and fog to a dangerous cliff. lie told her he intended to disappear. He carefully prepared the scene, leaving an umbrella •and a camera on the cliff. He then departed, after instructing his wife to go to the nearest, farmhouse and say she saw him fall over the el ill'. The wife was unaware of Knight's in ten-, tions. but was simply terrorised. She did not know of his relations with a school-teacher. It is believed that Mr. Knight and the school-teacher sailed in the Ballarat under assumed names. The Yorkshire Post says that Knight sailed for Australia, accompanied by a female, a Sunday-school teacher. A CAREFULLY-PLAXXED ELOPEMENT. MEMORIAL SERVICE 11ELD. Received 5, 5.0 p.m. London, February 5. Knight was highly strung and emotional. He was a preacher of the Revivalist type, and raised the congregation from a score to six hundred. Tiic details of his flight were carefully planned from the time he dramatically disappeared at the cliff's edge in the] blaze of a flashlight, wherewith he pre- I tmded to take a photograph, until he joined Fanny Grimes aboard the Bal-j larat. Knight's hair was cut unusually I short the day before lie disappeared, j His marked attention to Miss Grimes j caused a dividing of the congregation j into two groups, one defending the vicar | and the other full of misgivings. Gos- J sip was silenced upon Miss Grimes quitting Leeds in September for the South of England, but was renewed again in j the autumn during Knight's six weeks' vacation. Despite his wife's objections, there was an impressive memorial service, at which the Bishop eulogised the "deceased." jj A CALLOUS CRIMINAL. j Received 6, 12.25 a.m. London, February 5. Knight three times attempted to murdei his wife by means of poison, Strang-) ling and drowning. Miss Grimes participated in Knight's crusade against the white slave traffic, wherein her position in a clothing factory was useful. Knight, under the name of King, stayed at a farm in Sussex since October, learning poultry farming prior to emigrating. Grimes, posing as his wife, accompanied him. Knight was absent for week-ends and for three weeks at Christmas. After his disappearance he returned to Sussex and took Miss Grimes to the Ballarat.