DARING BIGAMY DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 206, 28 August 1920, Page 19

DARING BIGAMY DEFENCE.

— ■♦■ ■ ■■ ■ PHANTOM TWIN. STORY OF BROTHER WHO CHANGED I-LACES. ' t < Could two men so closely resemble each other that they could not be distinguished even hy the wife of one of them? This rjy/stion was answered in the affirmative by Lieutenant William Reginald Hayes. K.N., who was charged at Devon Assizes with bigamously marrying Edith ; Elizabeth Hill, of Totnes, his wife, Lilian Hayes, being alive. He said it was his twin brother who married the present Lilian Hayes in hi. name, ; and that he and his brother were so much , alike that Lilian could not tell the difference. Thoy had lived with her In turn J wlihout her being aware of the deception. The Judge said he was a liar and ] sentenced him to eighteen months' nard labour. Mrs. Hayes stated that she was certain that the man in the dock was th£ dan she married. He was awuy at sea for long i .periods. The man she married bad a scar on his elbow. ( Miss 11111 stated that she married Wil- < Ham Hayes. He never said anything to her about a brother. ' "I did not know until three weeks ago ' that my brother and I were twins," said Hayes, in giving evidence, "but we v.vre so ' much alike that It was like looking in a < looking-glass. I became engaged to .Miss Phillips in 101 2. My brother asked for an < Introduction to the lady, and I said, 'I'm i going on leave; you can take my place." ' SUBSTITUTION STORY. "When I next met my brother, after returning from leave, he said to mc, 'I have married Miss Phillips In your name. lam ' hard up. Will you take my place?' " •' Hayes said he agreed to do so, thinking l it was "a fine thing to do." What he meant ' was that he was in a better position to keep a lady as bis wife than his brother was. ' He returned In the character of her husband, personated his brother, and stayed ■ with her In Plymouth ten days or a fortnight. Mrs. Hayes then noticed his crooked ' arm. In August, 101*;, he went on leave and spent seven days with Mrs. Hayes as ' her husband. Ills Lordship: She thinking you were her husband?— Yes. Was that a fine thing?— No. Was It a generous thing?— Well, I was . doing what I considered best for her. In cross-examination, Hayes declared that neither of Mrß. Lilian Hayes' two children were his. REGISTERED THE CHILDREN. He admitted that he registered the births as tbe father, but explained that he did this because his brother had married Mrs. Hayes In his name. Mr. Pratt: Was it a generous thing to marry Miss Hill after the" way you had carried on?— No. When you married Miss Hill, which woman did you Intend to live with?—My wife. Miss Hill. Then why did you go back to the house of Jlrs. llayes?-I only went there till I found my brother. I wanted him to take on his proper Job. to look after his wife. The Judge—You were in the same bedj room as Mrs. Hayes when you were ' arrested?— Yes. •Were you going to continue that?—No; I Intended to tell Mrß. Hayes the truth after ' I had married Miss Hill. I His Lordship said it was the most re_j markakble defence they had any experience jof in the courts. Was it possible for a woman to make a mistake time after time, jas this woman was said to bave done, ln the j Intimacies of married life, between one man and another? Hayes was allowed to address the jury before they retired. He said :"I have suffered a financial loss of £1300. I have been * two months in prison as the result of an ' action undertaken with the best Intentions ' In tbe world." I Tbe Judge. In passing sentence, declared that Hayes had been convicted on evidence ' which should satisfy any reasonable nerson. * c