CHARGE OF BIGAMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16762, 31 January 1918, Page 6

CHARGE OF BIGAMY.

ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY. POSED AS A BACHELOR. A chahob of bigamy was heard at the Police Court yesterday before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., when James Whyte, alias Edward Whyte, farmer, aged 27 (Mr. Moody), pleaded guilty to going through a form of marriage with Mary Isabel Coughey on November 6, 1917, being then legally married to Violet Rosie Vnyio. Lilian May White, of Devonport, said she was a witness at the marriage of ner Bister. Violet Rosie Burgess, to accused at Toko, Taranaki, about nine years ago. There was one child of the marriage. Thomas Culpan, registrar of Births, deaths and marriages at Auckland, said no solemnised the marriage of accused and Mary Isabel Coughey at Auckland, when i accused declared himself to be a bachelor. ; Evidence was also given by Mary Isabel Coughey to the effect that accused left for the front in October, 1915. and his child was born during his absence. Since his return he had supported herself and the child, and married her on November 6, 1917. She had kept company with him throughout 1916 and a portion of 1917, 1 and understood that he was a single man % She stated that accused had promised to marry her after the present trouble had been settled. Detective Cummings produced certificates showing that the two marriages had taken place. He stated that accused had returned from the war suffering from shrapnel wounds, and was now practically a cripple. His character was good. It was also stated that the legal wife had commenced proceedings for divorce. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.