TRADITIONAL SAILOR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 282, 28 November 1931, Page 3 (Supplement)

TRADITIONAL SAILOR.

GIRL IN EVERY PORT. MARRIED THIRTEEN SPINSTERS. John Larsen, an American sailor of Swedish extraction, has been sentenced to three years in prison after figuring ia one of the strangest court scenes ever witnessed. He was tried at Seattle by a special jury, from which women were excluded, and the charge was " that he did bigamously contract marriage with 13 spinsters, his own lawful wife being to his knowledge alive." The scene in court was remarkable. First there were the curious who wished to see this extraordinary man. Then there were seven of his " wives," brought there from different parts of America and the Philippines—and his own lawful wife. His parents were present, and several parents of the " wives'." Larsen entered the box with a wide grin on his face, and the whole court roared with laughter as he told his story. He pleaded that a good sailor ought to have a girl in every port—but girls being what they were he thought he would secure their affections by marrying them. Admitted it All. He admitted the charge, and it was brought out in evidence that he had- a " wife " in all the major American ports from Hoboken to the Panama, and from there to the Philippines. All the " wives were summoned to court, but only seven turned up—and all seven pleaded for John with. the judge. The mystery of how he could afforl to keep them was cleared up when the court learned that he was a bookie for the officers and crew of his ship. . Tn sentencing him to three years, the judge said: "You ought to have been a comedian, not a sailor, for I have never heard anything so funny as your evidence on oath. But I am compelled to pass sentence, despite the plea of these vomen. You take my tdvice. When you come out : of prison you settle down with one woman and call it gcrxl enough."