A CHAMPION BIGAMIST.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1510, 7 February 1901, Page 17

A CHAMPION BIGAMIST.

A REVELATION IN CRIMINALITY

(From the “London Despatch.”)

The career of the notorious bigamist John W. Kins el la, alias Hall. King, Wilson, Watson, Carter, Scott, etc., who is the son of a Leeds policeman, came to an end last month at the Old Bailey.

He pleaded guilty to a series of bigamous marriages, having undoubtedly for their object the robbing and ruining of a number of young women in various

parts of the country, for which he received the well-merited and utterly inadequate sentence of five years’ penal servitude. I am afraid that the sentence will not act as a deterrerit to the scores of wo-men-preyers who are still practising the art of deception- and following in Kinsella’s footsteps in different parts of England, because ~ sentence of five years means now but a little over three years in durance vile. The sentence created considerable surprise in court, and when Kinsella got into his cell he actually dalicecl with joy and spoke of the Recorder, Sir Forrest Fulton as a “real toff.”

Mr Charles Mathews had the .respon-

sibility of acquainting bis lordship with some of the facts of the case, but the learned counsel only dealt with the actual cases as disclosed by the depositions, and these are but a tithe of those that should have been brought forward. The officers in the case—Detective-inspector Martin and Detective-sergeants Henbest arid McArthur —have worked night and day, leaving no stone unturned in order to trace this man’s victims, yet for some unaccountable reason.- his lordship decided to pass sentence ‘without first calling one of them into the witness-box in order to gain information—a practice usually adhered to. , KIN, LIFE STORY.

In order not to appear vindictive I should like my readers to first read care-

fully through the diary of this man’s life which I give here, and then ask thelmselves whether the punishment fits the crime. , v , .. Save when I have actual proof in the form of a certificate of marriage I. do not accuse of having a? wife, but in most cases the lady is a victim.

Tor obvious reasons ; I have withheld certain namesj but I should advise all the victims to communicate with the police in order that they may formally identify Kinsella and: so obtain release where they have gone through the form of marriage,. Kinsella is twenty-nine years of age, and his mother, the " widow of a Leeds policeman, resides -at Leeds. From a lad he was wayward 1 -and domineering.

Although apprenticed Avhen he left school he Was- too reftle'ss to learn the tailoring tradje, but//-using, what he managed to pick up, he went from shop to shop as a tailor’s presser. Practically he did not remain" riibre • than a feiv weeks in a situation, and he i described as “a 1 gay yburigfellriAV,” frequently spending half his wages on Saturday in drink. ; ~ " u i. rv . If this man ever had any affection for anyone save himself it must have been for his cousin,- a young lady named Crisby, Avith ••AAriiom he 'walked out for

five years prior to their marriage. It was.' arranged that they should get ' married at St. Luke’s Church, Leeds; but when the fact reached his mother

that the banns had- been put up she ob-

je.ctect, and the clergyman declined to ; marry first 5 cousins. In the light cf subseque&it events it -is quite clear to me why Kinsella was anxious ito .marry Miss: ■ Crisby. She was, and is, ; a very expert tailoress, always able to , command good wages, and to a man of Kinsella’s kidney this is important. Kin- , sella induced Miss Crisby to throw up her . situation.'rin Leeds and accompany s , him to •Manchester, -where they were married at Hulme St. Michael in April, ■ 1894. ■V. ... :

There was very little honeymoon, and after a few weeks Mrs- Kinsella • found :herself linked to a lazy' drunkard. In October, 1895, after eighteen months of married bliss,- Mrs Kinsella- discovered that she was about to become a mother.

and knowing-how badly she would be dr eatedsheCmade tip- her--mind to -return -to her relatives in Leedsi •-Althougln he ridid everything' to prevtentcher,-"his wife at last left-him ; but- from that, -date he .-lias only - occasionally Stent lie?- a few .-•shillings--- 'V- .J.-?. .v ; ; BECOMES' A PROFESSIONAL . t ... . WOMAN-PREYER. v ..' . ,7\

After his..wife’s return to LeedsfKini sella posed , as a. singleMnan ini. Manchestei'j and he was seen ; with, different / women about the city. --One lady he •• introduced as his wife, and there -is little doubt that-he must have- gone - through the form of marriage with-;her. Kinsella at tliis tirne; although -earning - but £1 a week 1 , appeared cf ien in ; a suit : of new clothes,: and woren jewelleryv-i - In November of 1895 he wenfc tO-nVOi’k v for a well-known firm of i’wholeshlte tailors, where hfe remained until': the end of •the year. - ' The firmed however,' then found that Kinsella wasi-a" most undesir- - able employee and, discharged - him/ A few days later he was " found by the - watchman, concealed on the premises'in a, most suspicious manner. He was handed over to, the police, and. when’ searched a. quantity of gunpowder was found in his possession; For..this-little

escapade he received two months’ hard labour.

He returned to his wife at Leeds after his release from prison, but he did not alter much.

Practically he continued to live with his wife until the early part of 1897. He was, however, in the habit of leaving Leeds: for a, few weeks at a time, but told his wife that he went in search of work.

He left his wife in January, 1897, and from this date she practically knows nothing of the life he has been living, save when he has written her, generally about once in six months. When Kinsella landed in London he went straight to his wife’s brother, who occupied a good position in Kentish Town/ but when he had outstayed his welcome he took lodgings in Raglan street, Kentish Town. There is absolutely- no doubt- that it Avas about this

date that the accused began to prey upon women most seriously. He did no Avork, yet he always seemed to ha\'e plenty of money. HE MAKES MORE VICTIMS. A young fellow aalio had knoAvn Kinsella in Leeds happened' to be in London, and, meeting him, the latter introduced him to a lady be Avas luring with at Boav a-s his wife. Kinsella then said he had come into a little money, and was obliged to assume the name of Barnes. It is known that in August, 1899, he Avas at Lambeth and at Brighton Avith tAvo different Avomen, one of them having a- little girl named Daisy, and it is supposed that he must have gone through the form of marriage with both of them. In October of 1899 he turned up at Cheltenham as a single man and adver-

tised in the “Gloucestershire Echo” for

a AArife. It Avas this advertisement that brought him into communication AArith Mrs Beale, Miss Jennings, Miss Constance, and a number of other ladies. Kinsella-’s movements up to the end of February are Avell known, because he

had already married Mrs Beale and Miss Jennings, and had induced them both to leave Cheltenham and come to' London.

Kinsella had noAv repeatedly advertised in the matrimonial columns of a Sunday newspaper arid, carefully preserving the letters he had received ill reply, he kept them in stock, as'it we're, for future reference in the event of those that he ■picked out being not suitable for his purpose. • Amongst those who saAV the January advertisement was a* young dressmaker, whose name Mr Mathews said Avas Mary Ann Key-sell, residing in Lind ore road, Battersea, and she aa*rote asking for particulars and an appointment. Kinsella replied as Fred Hall. He Avas actually living at this time Avith AArife No. 3 (Miss Jennings) in Lon_ dori. and at their subsequent intervieivs Kinsella told Miss Keysell that he Avas employed at Maple’s, earning £.2- 10s a week.■ ITe had been premised the post of foreman, hut it Avas necessary that he should get married, when he’ Avould have house, gas, and coals rent free. He managed to borrow a feAV pounds and some jewellery, and finding she had a bicycle he endeavoured to obtain that as well. He went so far as to Ayrite and ask .for the loan of it, Avliereupon Miss Keysell saw that the. man rivho would want to borrow a lady’s bicycle could be nothing but a fraud, and she Avrote and told him so. Fortunately for her she declined to see him again, and as Kinsella Avas busily engaged he did not swindle Miss Keysell any further. ADVERTISING PROVIDES HIM WITH TRUSTING WOMEN,

I do not think from the inquiries I have made that this lady , was the only one; he was defrauding in - Battersea, because a letter of a very painful character has been received at one of his addresses, evidently from a lady and another victim in the same locality. Another case mentioned by Mr Math-

ews, and of which he gave some details, was that of Miss Sophie Beckman, a doriiestic . servant employed in Palace road' Streatham Hill, who answered one of the June advertisements of Kinsella’s. Kinsella had now become John Palmer, and a foreman cabinetmaker at Maple’s. He was to get a rise of 10s a week when lie got married. : 'Kinsella drew a pretty picture of how loving he would' be, and in the result Miss Beckman banded him £2O. She

. never .sa w him again * after she handed a Mm. the Money and' the same as : he received- it he directed - his wife .No. 3 tp' pack up' their boxes ,arid leave be- : cause he had trie promise of some work •'irf'the North of London. ; : '

‘ Posing as a foreman at Shqolbred-’s, • Kinsqlla obtained £lO In a similar manner fx’om a young servant girl at Keririington; in. fact, I think he received this, amount the night following the re-’-teeipt of the £2O froiri Miss Beckman. • 'The treatment meted 1 out by this blackguard to the wrimen he came in -contact .with is clearly showp. by the •' 'riiaririet in' which lie dealt with wife No. 'He toldl -her after he had brought ; her to Imridon that be; could not afford to keep- her in 'idleriess, arid that she ' Worild'have to work." The wife, through ' the influence of ‘some- friends, - obtained } a- situation at T Chelsea, her wages being -• 7s 6d per week, iiie first week he re--4 ceivtd the money within an hour of her ' being" paid; and almost every fortnight he - turned: up arid . demanded whatever ’ money she had. Meanwhile he was ati. tending race meetings almost daily and - thinking little of putting £5. and £lO -- on a race. Practically his only outlay

was the cost of the advertisements he inserted, and he does not seem to have made less than £SO a month, KINSEI,LA’S BUSINESS METHODS. Kinsella was very methodical in his “business,” and seldom made a mistake when dealing with his Arictims, until he made the fatal error of signing himself

King t-Ov AArife No. 3, Avhen he should have called himself Hall.

He carefully read through all the replies he received to his advertisements, sorted them out- into districts, and then answered the letters. When he wrote he made a few notes on the back of the lady’s communication,as t-o the trade be; was representing, his> age, wages, et-ek In this way he was always able to tell the same “tale” and keep the same alias.In a -small black-oovered book he kept various forms of letters for the different; stages of his acquaintance, courtship, and marriage, andi they range from the formal acknowledgement of the lady’s reply to the advertisement to “the loving and devoted admirer,” finishing up with your - ever devoted and affectionate husband.” 'v. v ••-/•"T-v.

This polite letter writer lias v eAridently taken Kinsella some time to compile, for he has made quite a number of attempts before he finally decided: whioh letter should' be sent first. To the more gushing ladies he sent a very highlyflowered letter, Avhilst to others he sent the plain, cold, business-like form. He appeal's to have been, able to quickly guage the mental calibre of his victim's by their letters. He had a special series of letters for Avidows, and after he met them, for the first time he had a form of letter that spoke of “the anxiety” he had, to lead uer to the altar.

Over the letter in which the future (happy home Avas pictured, he spent a lot of time; it has been altered, amended, and touched up until it is totally different from AA’hat he originally Avrote. He seems to have kept" a; very fair account of the interviews he had with his Arictims on the backs of the letters, and in many instances he wrote “apologies for having been forced to borrow money, and preetc.

In quite four letters he regrets-' losing hi.s temper, and .speaks of the “love which is within his heart/' AT'.LAST THE POLICE . ARE AP- ■ - - ? ! ’ PEALED TO. . -

It- will be "remembered, that- in .November, if my memory serves me rightly, the young lady—wife No. 5 AAriiom he married in the name of Watson, and whom he deserted in the F'entonville road, made an application to the magistrate, who "advised Tier to placa-t-he - m-oA-ter’in'trie fiaiids of the police in 'order to see if sufficient grounds existed for the granting of a', warrant, Kinsella, having ascertained that the police were on his track, at once left his lodgings, and sought fresh woods;, and pastures’new, going to live at Clarerihe street, Islington, under the name of Scott, and to tnis last alias there hari§6 a- story. >

In reply to one of his numerous advertisements, he received a. letter frpin a young lady named Scott, who is said to be highly accomplished, and to be possessed of considerable means. Kinsella had already expended some-pf the £lO he obtained from the young woman at Kenniugton upon, ar new rigout, and, posing as ari electrical engineer earning £5 a week, he had several interviews with Miss Scot-t. At that particular time he was -in communication with Miss Lane and Miss Dormer and three other ladies, and was arranging quite, a.. . series-, of marriages^—Miss cS.cptt op.: September H 3, Miss Lane 27th, another lady, on October 14, Dormer on October 18, another ladyipn the 19th, .and a Miss-Harvey orirlthe 23rd; .- ...... ...'7^

1., Kinsella did not find. Miss Scott euth : easy prey as he expected, and 'forced to give her the correct- address where he was living. He intended-: to get as much as he could out of.-.MFs Scott-, to marry her, and then desert her. In order that* the police and eyery'hody else should , be effectually -thrown off the scent, he telß. wife. No. 3,i ywith whom he is liririg, that she muH:;’assri3rie the name of Septic for reasons which he gives her. - c -.--v tiz : i '• -O JONDREI/S OAR.EIER:'BROT!bMd : " •• TO A: CLOSE:« . 7;.; It was the inquiries ,- made by k£iss ' ScotPs friends . Hntt ; tlm . u?>ual gQssap „abcmt -:her_ approjaphihg 7iparriage .which _'Tied:' b° ’Vthe, wedding: tliatwas.tb - take piace S; uppn September 237 f(Armed ; with ;• , the7eertificate7anH.accqmparned^byv.'W^© ' Np.; : ,3 v 'the,Taridia<fc'' c pa}iu a visit; tp l ley road,.. Islingtpn ; N-v and actpi aintetl her with the fact- that was already a. married man... Tlfe;fact i6h.at onej piar- > riage was .set terfere .with (Kinsella’s;.plans 1 ,• heeanseihe continued- 'to: carry put; the. programme he had laid down; and; as shown in the diary.' he 'met,' married, and robbed' all the. victims ,he then- had upon his list. Kinsella wasrin the habit of keeping a strict account of the appointments be made, arid in his handwriting, on the back of a . card was found a list- of ih© ladies he had. to meet on November; 14, 15, and 16. . , * ■Miss M. B. to meet, Hyde. Park Corner, 3p. m., Wed needay. ;•> ! Vi Miss D. -to meet, Euston road, 7 o’clock, Thursday. Miss W. to meet, Highbury Station, 9 o’clock, Thursday. ; •• - ,: v • *- Miss J- to; meet, 3 o’clock Friday, Regent street. ~ ; - (V. Miss, G. to meet, 8.30. * 7 -!' .'