THE DUNEDIN POLYGAMIST.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 306, 23 December 1908, Page 9

THE DUNEDIN POLYGAMIST.

THKEE WIVES LIVING, my Telegraph. —Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Tuesday. it the Police Court to-day, before Mr. Kewick, S.M., Thomas Patrick Flynn va3 charged with having on February 4, 1904. being then married, gone through the form of marriage at Dunedin with ■Mary Ann Pearson Skinner, and, further, ■(rith having, on November 4, 190S, being then married, gone through the form of marriage with Isabella Grant. Chief-Detective Herbert said the accused married a woman named Margaret Flynn in 1599, and lived with her for some years. Then he came to Dunedin, Trhere'he made the acquaintance of Miss Skinner, and in February, 1004, he went through the form of marriage with her at Knox Church. Subsequently he met his third ''victim," and went to a registry office, where he married her, assuming the name of T. H. Gilway. At the time of his arrest the accused was living with his lawful wife in Cum-lerland-street, and his other two wives W ere living quite close to them. He had intimated his intention of pleading guilty at the Supreme Court. Margaret Ann Flynn said she married the accused at Arrowtown on November 15 1899. They lived together at ArrowtoVn for about three years. Then he •went to Canterbury and Dunedin. He communicated with her regularly, and in 1904 she came to Dunedin, and lived with him, after a separation of six Bionthe, caused by her ill-health. During this separation accused said he was boarding somewhere. She did not know where. He supplied her with money for herself and her infant boy. When' accused went back to live with witness he told her he had got another woman into trouble, and married her. He said her name was Mary Ann Skinner. Afterwards she lived with Flynn. Chief-Detective Herbert: He told you he had someone else? Witness: I complained of the way lie was coming and going. He said the other woman was complaining of the game thing. In answer to a question, witness said she could not find her marriage certificate. She had accused prisoner of taking it, and he had laughed. Mary Ann Pearson Skinner said she met accused sis years ago, and "kept company" with him for two years. He eaid he was single, and they were married. She had a child as a result of the marriage. About eight months afterwards she taxed him with having another wife. He admitted the fact. He said he was not happy with his first wife. Mr. Hewitson, the magistrate, said he j could not commit accused without the production of the 1899 marriage certifleate. That was the basis of the whole action. To accused he explained that he could, if he liked, object to his wife's evidence ibeing admitted at all. Accused said he did not see what good that would do. The evidence was admitted. Isabella Grant, who married accused last month, said she knew accused as Thomas H. Gilway. She met him two years ago, when he represented himself as a single man. On November 3of this year he'married her at a registry office in Dunedin. She was now the mother of a child by him. Application has been made to the registrar at Airowtown for a copy oE the first TMi.rrig.gfi certificate, but as it has not come to hand accused was remanded till the 30th inst.