A DOUBLE BIGAMY.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 6849, 6 September 1887, Page 5

A DOUBLE BIGAMY.

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[By Telegraph fhom the Bluff.] MELBOURNE, August 30. A singu'ar douhle case of bigamy is reported from Sandhurst, in this colony. In the year 1873 a young man, eighteen years of age. named tVilliam Ponder, a resident of Sandhurst, became acquainted with a young woman named Harriett* Bell, a native of Sandhurst, and three years his senior. The acquaintance grew into love, and led to marriage. For some time they lived happily together, and had one child ; but the course of domestic happiness was broken. The ditticnlties between them grew so strong , that they eventually separated, the wife leaving Sandhurst and taking the child with her. Pender formed an acquaintance with another young woman named Catherine Mary Purtell, twenty-two years of age, and "was married to her at St. Killans, by the Rev. Father O'Connell, on the loth December, 1884. under the name of Wm. Thomas Pcnder. From that time to the present these two have lived comfort ably together at Qualiy Hill, near the cemetery, he following "his occupation as a miner and shoemaker. There were two children of the second marriage, but the course of domestic felicity has again been broken—by whom is not stated. No doubt some friend has proved false and revengeful, as yesterday Ponder was arrested at hjs residence by detectives on a charge of bigamy. Thusendstheflrstactin thisdrama in humble life. The fortunes of the first wife had t« be traced out, and during the last week Detective Mahouey was busily engaged in that work with such success that he discovered her to be living at East Brunswick, married to a quarry man named McGinnis, by whore she had two children, the child by the first husband also living with her. A search in the KegistrarGeneral'e office showed that her second marriage was celebrated by the Rev. A. McVean on 2nd June, 1884, being some time before the second matrimonial alliance of her first husband. Detective Mahoney, as in duty bound, laid an information against her for bigamy, and she was arrested yesterday. Thus a second home was broken up. Pender, on being arrested, expressed an opinion that it was a pity, when he and his first wife were satisfied in their new relations, that they should have been disturbed by the authorities.