PLEA OF GUILTY TO BIGAMY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22517, 27 September 1938, Page 5

PLEA OF GUILTY TO BIGAMY

ENGINEER COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE Pleading guilty to a charge of bigamy Claude Albert Taylor, an engineer, yesterday was committed for sentence at the next sessions of the Supreme Court. Evidence given m the Magistrate's Court, before Mr F.,F. Reid, S.M., was to the effect that the accused married one woman in 1932, there being four children of the marriage, and went through a form of marriage with another girl last year. There was one child of the bigamous marAccused was represented by Mr R. F. D. Twyneham. Gertrude Helena Taylor, whose maiden name had been Moore, said she had married the accused at St. Peters Manse, Woolston, on June 30, 1932. There were four children of the marriage. Her husband had told her that in September last year he had gone through a form of marriage with Mary Harvey. Witness finally broke the news to Miss Harvey, and for some time after that the three—witness, accused and Miss Harvey—lived in the same house. Witness said she had not made a complaint because Miss Harvey was going to have a child. Mary Harriet Harvey, aged 24, said when she was keeping company with accused she thought he was a single man. He bought her an engagement ring; and their engagement was announced in a Christchurclv newspaper. On September 1. 1937, witness went through a marriage ceremony with the accused at an Auckland Methodist parsonage. In Auckland witness later met Mrs Taylor, whom the accused then introduced as his cousin. Later Mrs Taylor told witness she was Taylor's wife, and that was the first knowledge witness had that Taylor had been married before. For about three months the three of them lived together. At the time of her marriage with the accused witness said she honestly believed he was a single man. Detective R. PI. Watt read a statement by the accused admitting both marriage ceremonies. Miss Harvey's child had been boarded out to a woman at 10s a week. On a further charge, to which Taylor pleaded guilty—of obtaining £ls 10s by false pretences—he was remanded for sentence in the Magistrate's Court next month.