ALLEGED BIGAMY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 43, 21 February 1927, Page 10

ALLEGED BIGAMY.

» FIJI PLANTER IN TROUBLE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SUVA, February 16. At the Suva Police Court, an exsoldier named George McCown, of Tavouni, planter, was charged with bigamy. The allegation was that he married at Norbiton Parish Church, in Surrey, in England, on August 26, in 1917, one Ringella Isabelle Naomi Gibbs, and that during the life of his wife he married Caroline Jane Rosa Conrady, at Suva, on April 23, 1923. Inspector Luccinolli said that when accused had been arrested and cautioned he said, "I do not remember any such marriage." It appears that a badly addressed letter led to the final discovery. McCown and one Gordon JlcGowan were married to two sisters Conrady. McCown's wife died two years ago, leaving him owner of a nice estate, worth quite a lot of money. McGowan is a wealthy planter. Lately a letter came addressed to G. McCown, but the writing was so indistinct that the letter was placed in McGowan's mail and proved to be to McCown from his English wife. Solicitors at once started inquiries in England, with the result that on Saturday a cable was received stating that Ella's husband had tattooed in French on one arm the words "I love you," and he had also two gold teeth. The accused has each of these marks of identification. He was remanded on the application of the police for eight days. Accused came to Fiji after the war as a fitter for the C.S.R. Company, and bv marrying Miss Conrady became the boss of a fine coconut plantation on the fertile island of Tavouni.