BIGAMY CHARGE

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 57, 8 March 1923, Page 5

BIGAMY CHARGE

STORY OF THREE WEDDINGS. EXTRAORDINARY EVIDENCE. SYDNEY, February 2S. Evidence that a man married the same woman twice .- then went through the ceremony m. nage witli another woman, was given ..luring the hearing of a charge of bigamy at the Burwod Police Court yesterday. The defendant was -James William Gibbs, whose proper name was stated to be Albert Lot James Bishop. . The evidence was that on February 5 Sergeant Bolton, of Burwood, arrested Gibbe on a charge of wife desertion. At defendant's request lie took him to a house in Liverpool Road, Enfield, where Gibbs spoke to a woman whom witness knew as Mrs. Bishop. In reply to the sergeant, Gibbe declared that Mrs. Bishop was not his wife, but that he was living with her. "* 'When further questioned and shown three marriage certificates —two being signed "Gibbs." and the other "Bishop" —he admitted the signatures thereon, and made the following statement: — "I married Mrs. Stringfellow on January 5, 1920, and on the 27th of the same month T wae sentenced to six months' imprisonment. While serving my sentence she commenced divorce proceedings, but before I was released she cancelled them and re-married mc under the name of Gibbs, well knowing that name to be false. On September 20, 1921, she ordered mc out of the house saying, 'I don't want to see you any more, nor do I want anything from you.'" On January 19,. 1921, I married Mrs. Biehop, of Enfield, and I declare her to be niy"-lawful wife." "MARRIED HIM TWICE. -, Ethel Mary Gibbs, Laura Street, Newtown, stated that defendant was her husband, she having been married to him on January o, 11)20, by the Rev. W. F. P. Dorph. On December 20 of the same year she again went through the form of marriage with him at Darlinghurst, the Eev, A. E. Townsend officiating. Charlotte Bradley Bishop stated that she was a widow, her name being Butterfield before she went through the form of marriage with Bishop at St. Thomas' Church, Enfield, on January 19, 1922. She had lived with him until he was arrested. He was employed in the Lunacy Department and was also a volunteer fireman. He had never told her that he had been married previously. Gibbs was committed for trial, and was granted bail.