ALLEGED BIGAMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15253, 17 March 1913, Page 5

ALLEGED BIGAMY.

♦ i . HOTEL PORTER .CHARGED. COMMITTED FOR • TRIAL. An hotel porter from Hamilton, Harry Ford, was charged before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., at the Police Court on Saturday, with having committed bigamy. It was alleged that he went through the form of marriage with one Kathleen Kelly, -being already lawfully, married. Chief-Detective McMahon appeared for the police. Mr. R. P. Towle represented the accused, who pleaded not guilty. The Rev. Richard Heffernan, a Church of England clergyman from Canterbury, N.S.W., stated that according to the register, which he produced, he married Harry Ford to Beatrice Newton at St. Paul's Church, Canterbury, on February 12, 1908. The entry was out of order in the register, as he had found a blank and filled it in. He was not acquainted with the parties, and could not identify the accused. Sarah Ann Newton corroborated the evidence as to her daughter's marriage, but admitted in cross-examination that she was not present at the ceremony. In fact, neither she nor her husband knew anything about it until her daughter returned home with the news and the ' marriage lines. After the marriage. Ford j spent some time at her house, and then went to Newcastle for ; eight months. After his return a child was born, and then the. accused . left for New Zealand. She did not see him again until the beginning of February this year, at Hamilton. Her daughter latterly had been earning £2 a week as a tailoress, as the accused was not sending any regular money to her. .'•••' Mary and Patrick O'Shea. both gave evidence to the effect . that they were ; present in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland, when the accused went through a form Of marriage on August 15, 1912. , Detective-Sergeant Cox stated that he interviewed the accused at the Hamilton Police Station on February 4. He then, made a signed statement, admitting both marriages. He also stated that he had not told his wife of the second ceremony. Mrs. Beatrice Ford, Mrs, Newton, and others were present at this interview, Ford saying that, if they only knew, there were some very peculiar circumstances- about the marriage. A fortnight later the accused was arrested, on a warrant by the Hamilton police. Ford, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial at the Supreme Court. Bail was allowed in the accused's own recognisances of £200, and two sureties of £100 each.