ALLEGED BIGAMY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 239, 6 October 1916, Page 6

ALLEGED BIGAMY.

> THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF RETURNED SOLDIERS. I WHAT HE DID BEFORE THE WAR. Another bigamy change, the second of the iweek, occupied the Police Court today, when a returned soldier, named Alfred Wiley (34), was charged that at Hamilton on June 3, 1914, being then I married, he Committed bigamy by going through the form of marriage with Clara Emily Walker. Sarah Moles, wife of a farmer in the New Plymouth district, stated that her dangrJier Margaret, who was present in Court, "was married in April, 1907, to accused at Awakino, in the Mokau district, where witness lived. In reply to Mt. A. Moody (for accused) : Had not seen the accused for about eight years, the last time she had seen him being at Awakino. Witness' daughter was now working on a station in the South Island, and for some time •past, three or four years, had not been going under the name of "Mrs. Wiley."

I Detective Cnnunings stated that when arrested on September 3 accused said Tes, I have been married twice, but I hadn't eeen my first wife for ten years before I married the second one." Accused admitted that he was the man referred to in the two marriage certificates (produced).

Clara Emily Walker, a domestic, aged about 23 years, stated that in 1914 she "kept company" with accused at Te Kuiti, and on several occasions he visited her parents' residence. She understood he was a single man then, but ho didin't ever mention whether he was married or single. On 3rd June, 1914, witness and accused were married at the Registrar's Office at Hamilton, witness' parents being present. They lived together at the place of accused's sister in Hamilton, and later they went to Gisborne, where accused engaged in bush work. When accused was away in the bush she, by arrangement, went to Auckland, where accused joined her later. After three or four months accused enlisted, without telling witness about it. He went to camp without leaving her money, and she discovered where he was, and went to Wellington and saw him. Accused had enlisted as a single man. After her visit to the camp accused made an allotment order in her favour, and she received the money regularly till about November last year. After accused's return from the war she met him in Wellington, but they stayed together only one night, owing to their having a row, his sister making some remarks to witness about the first wife. She spoke to him about it, and he said he had had a first wife, but had not seen her for nine years. When they had the row they parted, and he had not since then sent her any money. There was one child of the marriage, born in October, 1914. To Mr. Moody: She had known, accused only a month before they were married. After they were married she heard rumours that WDey had been married before.

" Thomas F. Walker, father of the last witness, stated that he had been a witness when his daughter and accused went through the form of marriage at Hamilton. Accused, who pleaded "Not guilty,* 1 was- committed for trial at the Supreme Court, and ab"mitted to bail as formerly.