A BOGUS MARRIAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 35, 9 February 1906, Page 3

A BOGUS MARRIAGE.

STRANGE STORY TOLD BY A DOMESTIC.

CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday.

An alleged bogus marriage was a fac:or in a civil action heard at the Magis;rate's Court to-day, the piaintiff being \nnie O'Brien, a domestic servant, and .he defendant John Gosher. a fireman an the Union Company's coast trader A.rah\;ra. Mr Hindmarsh, counsel for the plaintiff, explained that his client might be -ailed simple, and alleged that about twenty people got her to go through a. oogus marriage with the defendant, hi a private house. After the ceremony these people got some money from her to go and buy beer. After the beer had been consumed she left, the premises with the defendant, who subsequently knocked her down and seriously injured her leg. Plaintiff, in the course of a rambling statement, deposed that the defendant asked her to marry him, and stated that he had £ lv. lie wanted her to go to the Catholic church, but witness (-old him that shr was not gning to be ''humbugged" wtth him. He the.n stated that he would go and bring a minister to the house. His Worship: Is this a rehearsal of "The Earl and the Girl?" (La.ugb.ter.) Mr Wilfcrd (for the defendant): No, it is Johu F. Sheridan's "Widow O'Brien.* , (Renewed laaighter.) The witness, continuing, stated tha* it the house in question they brought i man who looked respectable. He was Iressed in a brown hat and a brown •oat, and carried an umbrella, and a Bible, in his hands. Witness and the lefendant- were married in the kitchen, md all signed their names as witnesses. Mr Hindmarsh: Can you read or svrite? Witness: No. Continuing, witness said she asfced :.he man in the brown coat if he "had carried people before, and he. said 'Yes." The party asked her to give them balf-a-erown, and witness did so. Fhey got beer with it. After the ceremony wa.s over one man advised witness "to go to her home. She took his advice and left the house. The defendant followed and knocked her down md injured her leg. Mr ' Wilford: Did the parson have iungaree pants and bhichcr boots? Witness: No. Do you remember that the parson had no surplice, and that, they put a towel over Disarm? —No; it's all lies. Are you sure they had a Bible ?—Yes. Didn"'t they hunt round for a Bible, and when they couldn't find one. read the. sen-ice out of "The life of Peter the Great?" —Xo. Wasn't the defendant so "tight -, thaihe had to be held up? —No. Didn't he turn round and say to yon before the ceremony started, "what is your name?" and you said to him, '"Annie," and he said. '"Annie, before we eet married tic your lare collar?" (Laughter.) —No. it is all lies. Didn't he say, "Annie, I won't marry you until you tic your lace collar, and ion't you remember tying up your collar with a string and tying a nice bow ait the bottom of it so as to make you nice for th* , . wedding?— No. Was there a sober man in the bouse? —Yes, they wen; all as sober as you are now. (Loud laughter.) Mr Wilford: That's a really good testimonial you givi? mc. (Laughter.) Did they have difficulty in getting you to go to the marriage?— No. Did'nt you gallop over at full speed? (Laughter.)— No. I was lame at the time. Didn't yo\J go quicker than Cosher, i who was following you with faithfu , ., but uncertain steps? (Laughter-)—No, and I never asked him to marry mc, because he was too lotw and ragged. ! Didn't the ceremony stop on one oc I easion because the minister Tefused to | go on with the ceremony because Gosher would do nothing but sit on the floor instead of standing up? —It's all lies. J Didn't the minister say, "This rrre-1 mony is not going on until Gosher stands on his feet," and didn't Gosber then put bis arm round your neck for support? —No. Witness here went on. to give her version of the proceedings. She said the | minister read the service. Gosher bor- i rowed a ring from Mrs , and put it [on mc. Was not the ring obtained during; the marriage ceremony by breaking an umbrella and getting a brass ring off the handle? —No; it's all lies. What did the parson say?—He asked mc what my name was, and if I was single. I said, "'I am Annie O'Brien, and lam single." He asked him (thei defendant) who he was. and ho said. "John Gosher." The minister Tead the I ceremony, and I cannot tell you two words of it. Did you say "1 will? ,, —l do not know what I said. • Didn't, he say, "Will you have this man to be your wedded husband?" —Oh. yes. and I said: "I will." You have been throngh a wedding ceranony before?— Yes. I was married when I was seventeen. The defendant, who stated that his name was John Davis, said plaintiff had been pestering hurt, and they decided to have a wedding to pacify her. They could not gel any one in the house to act as minister, and they went to a hotel near by and found an old party. There they had to carry him from the hotel to act as parson, and had to put a towel across his arm just to make him "look like something." All the old man said was: "Will you take this man to be your lawful husband?" and the plaintiff said "Yes." Mr Wilford: Was the wedding serious? Witness: No, we were langhmg all over the house. Defendant denied having assaulted plaintiff, who had laid an information against him for maintenance after the alleged marriags, but no order "was made. His Worship entered judgment for the , defendant without costs, and counsel for ' the plaintiff asked leave to appeal, j which was granted. [ :