CHARGED WITH BIGAMY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 175, 12 April 1923, Page 4

CHARGED WITH BIGAMY

TRAM CONDUCTOR SENT

FOs TRIAL

BELIEVED THAT FIRST WIFE DIVORCED HIM

BY TELEGBAPH.—PBESS ASSOCIATION. Dunedin, April 11

In tho city police court to-day, Albert Edward Blundell, a tram conductor, was charged with having on December 25, 1920, at Dunedin, having been previously married to Louisa Elizabeth Noble, gone through a form of marriage with Grace Agues Sharp, thereby committing bigamy. He was also charged with having on December 21 of the same year at Dunedin, made a false dclaration for the purpose of a certificate from tho Registrar of Marriages. , Evidence was given by Emily Victoria Barnes, who stated that she had lived at Southward Bridge Road, London. and while there knew Louisa Elizabeth Noble. She remembered MAss Noble getting married to John Blundell in 1914. When shown a wedding group photograph recently, she recognised therein the accused and tho girl she had known. Witness said that, she had not actually been present at the ceremony, but knew some girls who .had been. She last, saw Louisa Blundell in 1917 or 1918, and had received ono letter from her since she (witness) had been in New Zealand. This, letter had been destroyed after being answered. Witness had seen tho accused and the girl Louisa together about three times after the marriage. Detective Palmer stated that ho had interviewed the accused, who had said that when he married Miss Sharp he had no reason to believe that his wife was dead, but he had thought she had divorced him. He admitted that photographs shown him were those of himself and his first wife, also that, the contents of a certificate which.was produced were, a true 'statement of his first, marriage. ' * Sergeant Shanahan stated in evidence that he had interviewed accused in September last and had obtained from him signed statement to the effect that he had married Miss Noble in London in 1914. He was in the navy then and shortly' afterwards was posted to H.M.S. Valiant'. There was one child of tho union, a nor. Accused was demobolised in 1919 .and on arrival homo his wife told him that she had mad® a mistake in marrying him and conld not live with him. He tried to get her to live with him, but she refused. He then said that ho would give her grounds for'divorce by not living with her, and she replied that she would apply for a divorce. Tho couple had not lived together or cohabitated since. He. then went to sea on a mail boat; and had sewn his wife on .three .occasions when in port. She always said she would carry on divorce proceedings. He camo to New Zealand m 1920, and met Miss Sharp and married her in December that year. He honestly believed that he had been divorced by his first wife, though he had received no papers. Accused, who reserved his defence, Was committed for trial, bail being allowed.