Morwell Advertiser reported in 1901:


Singular Vagrancy Charge.

MALOGA PHILANTHROPIST PROSECUTED

At the Moama (N.S.W.) police court on Tuesday last, before Mr Garstrung, P.M., a local paper reports, the well known Daniel Matthews, philanthlopist and evangelist, with having no lawful visible means of support. He pleaded not guilty. Senior Constable Fortesque deposed that on the 11th June he saw a handbill, produced, circulated in Moama, referring to the Maloga Mission for Aborigines of Australia, stating that defendant, the Misses Matthews and an aboriginal girl, would conduct a service in the Bible Christian Chapel at Moanus. At the bottom of the bill it read, A collection will be taken up for extending the work. On 13th ultimo witness went to the chapel in question, and heard the defendant address the people there assembled. At the conclusion he asked for an offertory in aid of the Maloga missionary work in aid of the aborigines: In his address defendnat appeared to be very careful not to state any place he went to, or any person to whom he sent any money in aid of tihe mission work. He said he sent the money, but did not name any one. His daughter followed with an address on the same strain, giving her experiences amongst the blacks and black children. She stated they had been lately in South Australia, that they hoped to get some land from the Government, and hoped to erect a school and church. At the conclusion the son of defendant took round a plate, and collected a considerable sunm from those present. Knowing that there was no mission at Maloga that defendant had any connection with, and considering that his address and advertisementt were misleading, at the termination of the service he asked defendant to meet him next morning and give some explanation, if he could, to show that he was collecting money for some genuine mission purpose. Defendant called next morning, and said he represented the Maloga and other missions. Witness remarked that there had been no mission at Maloga for many years. Defendant then said he collected money for a mission at Mannum, South Anstralia. Defendant finally stated that no mission existed at Maloga.
The defendant was then sworn, and deposed that he was a missionary to the aboriginals. He was now with some of his family travelling to arouse a deeper interest in the aboriginals, and while doing so was lecturing in public halls and churches. They never begged for money, but a collection was taken up to defray expenses, and if anything was over it was remitted to the missions. He collected enough at his lectures to keep himself and his missions as well.
The P.M. said that though the answers of the defendant were not too good the bench was not inclined to convict. The answers were most unsatisfactory, and his position brought defendant very close to the Vagrant Act. He would recommend defendant to be more careful in the future in what he did. He would be discharged.    Link