SUPREME COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 288, 2 December 1905, Page 6

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS. (Before Mr Justice Edwarde.)" (Hon. J. A. Tole, Crown Solicitor, prosecuting.) CHINESE PERJURY CASE. The Court continued yesterday afternoon the trial of Ah Ming, on a chaTge of having committed perjury in the Auckland Magistrate's Court by charging Ming Yui and Ah Fong with having assaulted him in a house in Wakefieldstreet and robbed him of a £10 note. Accused, on oath, repeated his assertion that the men assaulted and robbed him, and detailed the circumstances. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and he was sent to prison for one year. A BIGAMY CHAItGE. Ernest Wilson, a young Samoan, pleaded not guilty to having committed bigamy at Auckland in June last. Edmund Humphry Lyons, Registrar of Marriages, etc., at Auckland, gave evidence of performing the first marriage in July, 1904, when Charles T. Holden and Florence Ray were the witnesses. The bride's name warf Agnes Meldrum. The bridegroom was described as a bachelor, born at Samoa. Witness also supplied a license for the second ceremony last June, when the man was described as a widower. The bride was Annie Kelah Jones. The prisoner, who referred to the second Mrs Wilson as "Wife No. 2," questioned the witness as to the conversation that took place on the second occasion. Witness said accused described himself as. a widower. Accused: Didn't I tell you that my wife had cleared oft? Witness: No. I should certainly not have issued a license if you had. W. B. Meldrum, a tailor, of Auckland, said he was the father of the prisoner's wife, whom the prisoner married in July of last year. She was still living at Auckland. Florence Ray, of Green Lane, gave evidence of being a witness at the first wedding. Annie Kelah Jones said she went through a form of marriage with the prisoner on June 6 last, the adjutant of the Salvation Army performing the ceremony. The prisoner had previously told her that his wife was dead, and that he had a letter to that effect. She never saw the letter nor learned from whom it came. David McClure, adjutant in the Salvation Army, said he performed the ceremony on the strength of a license from the Registrar, furnished by the prisoner. Prisoner described himself as a widower. Hartnell Whatford, another Salvation Army officer, said he attended the function and signed the register as witness. Detective McMahon said that the prisoner, when arrested, said, "I thought my wife was dead. I received a letter to that effect." Witness said, "From whom did you receive the letter?" and prisoner replied, "Oh, I don't know." He also said he had no objection to live with his first wife if she were agree- ! able. Prisoner, giving evidence on oath, admitted the bigamy. He said he told the first woman that he had not enough money to be married, but she said, "It will be all right." He tried and got a job in town, but hie wife would not stay with him, as she said the work was too hard. Subsequently he could not find out where she was. The jury found the accused guilty, and he was sent to prison for three years. ffhe Court adjourned till Monday next.