A CHANGE OF WIVES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 15, 17 January 1914, Page 17

A CHANGE OF WIVES.

A curious story of a Pontefract miner, who received permission from his wife to marry another woman, was told at the Leeds Assizes ou November 23th before Mr Commissioner Wangh, K.C. The prisoner was George Crisp <j>l>. miner, who was charged with bigamy at Pontefract on May 31 this year, the allegation being that he went through a form of marriage with Amelia Ellis on that da'e, altbongh his wife, Annie, to whom he was married in March, ISSL was still alive. Mr Vernon Wragge, who prosecuted, said that there was a very peculiar feature of the case. A month before the second ceremony, the prisoner and tho woman Ellis met the wife at Pontefract races They then asked her if she would give them permission to get married, and she replied, "?es, get married to-morrow if you like. I am comfortable, and I want him to make a home for himself." I The case broke down because the necesI'Sary evidence of the first ceremony was ,not forthcoming. The Commissioner said .he could not accept the certificate only; jit would be necessary for someone to j identify the prisoner as the man men- | tioned In the certificate. Mr Wragge then ; said he was afraid that could not be done, since all the witnesses to the certificate had died. The Commissioner, therefore, directed the Jury to return a verdict lof not guilty*, and. the prisoner was dis. I charged,. _ ._. .. —- .---- ■--