BIGAMY ADMITTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18887, 9 December 1924, Page 12

BIGAMY ADMITTED.

BRIEF SECOND MARRIAGE.

HONEYMOON OF FIVE DAYS.

MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

The contracting of a bigamous marriage in Auckland on November 6, 1924, resulted in the appearance of Alexander Robertson, aged 37, in the Police Court before Mr. J, W. Poynton, S.M., yesterday. Accused was also charged with having obtained £10 12s 4d and £8 5a 6d at Wanganui by false pretences, and with having obtained goods valued at £2 5s lid at Hamilton by a fraudulent order drawn on Wright, Stephenson and Company, Ltd.

Evidence was given that accused had been married in Wellington in 1909 and that his wife and two children were still

living.

The woman with whom accused contracted tho second marriage said sho became acquainted with him recently while she was employed as a professional nurse. Ho told her he was single, and after a brief courtship witness went through the form of marriage with him at the Auckland Registry Office. After a honeymoon lasting livo days witness left Robertson. Senior-Detective Ward produced a statement in which accused admitted having represented himself as a bachelor. Ho said he was an accountant, and had been drinking heavily. Regarding the charges of false pretences, Detective Moon said accused had made a written confession in which he admitted having drawn false orders on the firms concerned.

Accused pleaded guilty to all charges and was committed to the Supreme Court for . sentence on the bigamy charge. Off the summary offences he was remanded for sentence until next Thursday.

ALLEGATION OF BIGAMY.

UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

ACCUSED SENT FOR TRIAL.

I Allegations that having been married j in July, 1901, he went through the form ] of a second marriage on October 10, 1922, | «i few weeks before a decree absolute in divorce had been granted, wero made against a middle-aged man whose name was ordered to be suppressed and who appeared before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S-M., at the Police Court yesterday on a charge of bigamy. Further charges of having made a false declaration to the registrar of marriages and a false statement concerning particulars for the marriage book, i were also preferred. Accused was reprej sented by counsel. i Evidence was given tc the effect that i accused was married at Havelock in 1901 I and went through a second ceremony at ! Auckland on October 10, 1922. j A Supreme Court official produced re--1 cords to show that a petition in divorce was filed on June 19, 1920, and that a decree nisi was granted on May 20, 1921. Tho decree was made absolute on December 18, 1922, and was sealed on January 11. 1923, thus dissolving tho marriage. Tho registrar of marriages at Auckland produced a form in which accused described himself as a bachelor, born in Scotland. In a statement to Detective Culloty, of Hamilton, who interviewed him at To Puke, accused said he spoke to his solicitor's clerk, who assured him that "everything was all right." The woman with whom he went through the second ceremony objected to him putting down his condition as "divorced" at the time the form was filled in. She was aware, however, that he was divorced. Accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed for trial. Bail was allowed on his own recognisance of £50.