CHARGE OF BIGAMY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 22 April 1941, Page 6

CHARGE OF BIGAMY

MAN BEFORE THE COURT PLEA FOR LENIENCY ASKED FOR f United Press Association] Wellington, This Day. Conditions that prisoner pay full costs of the divorce action against him and that as soon as the decree is made absolute he marry the woman he married bigamously were laid down by Mr Justice Blair in the Supreme Court when ordering Charles Albert Ericson, aged 45, seaman, to come up for sentence if called upon within 18 months on a charge of bigamy. Counsel had said that prisoner was of a very simple, quiet type of mind, honest to a degree and hardworking. He could have obtained a divorce on a letter his wife had written him, but preferred to give her the opportunity of divorcing him and she had taken it. He was paying his wife's costs.

Mr Justice Blair said that, as the simple-minded sort of sailor counsel had described him, prisoner might not think his offence was as serious as it was. In view of the circumstances and the fact that the second wife supported the plea for leniency he would make an exception and order the prisoner to come up for sentence if called upon within 18 months. The conditions would be that Ericson pay the whole costs incurred by his wufe’s divorcing him and immediately the divorce was completely regularise his relations with the second w T ife he took.