BIGAMIST’S DUAL LIFE

Evening Star, Issue 17926, 23 March 1922, Page 10

BIGAMIST’S DUAL LIFE

FIRST WIFE CONGRATULATES THE SECOND. In the Practice Court, Melbourne, before Mr Justice Cussen, on the /th mst., was unfolded tho romarable story of the dual life of Leslie Rawdou Coombs alias Leslie John Allison, who so thoroughly deceived two women—before running off with a third—that when, as Leslie John Allison, ho went through a bigamous marriage, his wife wrote to the second “happy bride” congratulating her upon Her union with “Mr Allison,” and wishing her a full measure of success and happiness.

Then came tho awakening, but not before irreparable damage had been done. Tho second “Mrs Coombs” (“Mrs Allison”), after passing through a long period of nervous prostration, left Melbourne for Sydney, in the effort to efface the memory. of her misfortune. The story was remarkable, inasmuch as it showed that whilst Coombs was “ shamefully neglecting ” Iris own wife, he was able to woo, with all tho deceptive ardor and liglit-hoartcdness of a young lover, Frances Ellen Skinner, _ and to win the approval of Mrs Skinner, a pleasant-featured, white-haired old Indv, in tho sunshine of whose smiles and little homo in Camberwell he passed many hours; on one occasion living under tho maternal roof for some' days. Tho copule spent, happy hours in the garden together, the woman taking several photographs of her future “husband,” which were produced in court. Then they became engaged. “ I must have been mad,” ho wrote later. Mad or sane, lie went on; and on March 3, 1920, surrounded by tho usual gathering of felicitating relatives and presents and bouquets, ho accompanied the bride at the altar of St. Phillip’s Church, Abbotsford, and at tho command of the Rev. L. L. Wenzel repeated tho words of the marriage oath. Then, amid the usual departing jollity and congratulations, ho publicly drove his bride off in a motor car to Mornington, whore for four days, the “Allisons” honeymooned—she happily and without misgiving; lie, apparently, with growing apprehension. At all events, after four days he came to his bride and informed her that ho had boon appointed inspector of soldier settlement for the State of Victoria, and would have to leave that very day to inspect his field of operations at Bendigo. Tho next day the bride of four clays received a telegram advising her to go home, as lie (“Allison”) was too bfl*y to return. She went homo. That was the last she hoard of “Allison.”

A little depressed and anxious, the liriclo returned home, and amongst the congratulatory letters awaiting; her return was one from Mrs Coombs. It was a nice letter. Feeling the need of sympathy in her isolation, but still not remotely suspecting the truth, she resolved to visit Airs Coombs at Auburn. On arrival there she found that Mrs Coombs had left. The landlady spoke very nicely of her, hni said she had been treated shamefully by her husband. It was the landlady’s description of Air Coombs that awakened the first sharp suspicion in petitioner about “ Air Allison.” She went to the Closer Settlement Board and found that no person by tho name of Allison had been appointed an inspector. Suspicion deepening, sho placed tho matter in tho hands of a firm of private, detectives, and tho last she heard was that a photograph of her supposed husband had been identified by one George Leslie Desmond as that of the man who had recently cleared from Melbourne for Adelaide in company with his (Desmond’s) wife. _ Sick at heart and approaching a serious nervous illness, sho prosecuted the matter no further, and subsequently ill-health and lack of funds prevented her approaching the court earlier for a declaration of nullity of marriage. She heard subsequently that Coombs alias Allison was somewhere in Western Australia.

Airs Skinner, mother of petitioner, affirmed that she was at the ceremony of marriage between her daughter Frances and “ this man.” Tho photographs produced, she said, were “ undoubtedly those of tho man.”

Mr justice Cusson to Air Pearce, who (instructed by Messrs _ Cleverdon and Fay) appeared for petitioner; You say in this petition that the parties wore lawfully married, and later on you say that they were not lawfully married.

Mr Pearce; They went through the form of marriage Then what do you ask me to do?— AVo ask for a. declaration of nullity. Mr Justice Cussen: Very well; a declaration of nullity is granted, with costs.

Petitioner left the court trembling, soothed by whispering words of encouragement from the aged mother. Coombs is still at largo.