FLORRIE'S FROLICS.

NZ Truth, Issue 58, 28 July 1906, Page 5

FLORRIE'S FROLICS.

i; ■■ Houses Three Hubbies. !

■■ ■ Mrs. Menlove's Matrimonial Mix-up.

The love story of Florence Jane •Menlove must be told in serial form, because she was constantly in love and bagged no fewer than three hus- . bands, all of whom are living. Her career has evidently been one of love, . .and temporary husbands as well as those of the legal variety appear to be her forte. Where other women can't even get one bloke, Florence has been able to secure a plethora. "Result is that she is now suffering for heir misdeeds in Lyttelton Gaol, but she got off with a ridiculously light sentence. The lady originally spliced '''Richard Charles Menlove at Dunedin in February, 1897, and got a separa- .:•; tion order against him. Once rid of i her so-called first love she listened to tMe voice of James Udale, a farmer cat Heaibhoote Valley, Ciarlstchurch ; And they were. married. The woman J

married under her maiden name of Easton,' and Udale lived with her at Heathcote for a year. Four years ago she told Udale that she was a married woman before she met him, and. he told her to take her duds and clear out. Udale then went to Wellington, where he took on gardening, but the lady was always bringing up his name in the Empire City, whither she had also migrated, and he eventually gave her in charge for bigamy. He delayed proceedings for a long time, though, and gave as a reason for the delay that he had been ill. The lady had in the meantime married another chap named Thomas Grovesnor. A : man called Henderson! had told him this, and also said that Florence was "no good." Afterwards it transpired that she had been living with Henderson, but apparently in Ms case she didn't want A' MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE, It was when Grovesnor spliced her that Henderson split ; Orovesnor had! cut him out, so to speak. After her arrest the prisoner was taken to Christohuroh, and she told Tec Chrystal that she never made any secret of the fact that she was f married to Meniove. She had a separation order from him, -and hadn't the slightest 'idea where he was, or whether he was dead or alive. Transpires now, however, that he is in a benevolent home at Dunedin. The sister and brother o£ acoused gave evidence ; they had visited her at Heathcote Valley, and concluded that she was living with Udale as his wife. A couple of parsons also gave testimony, and things looked so black against the prisoner that she pleaded guilty and was remanded to the Supreme Court for sentence. She fainted before the conclusion of the proceedings and performed the- same trick in the superior court when I brought • before Mr Justice Cooper. Prisoner was represented by Mr Donnelly, and put forth the explanation that she thought she was foee from Meniove when she secured a separation order. She had been under the impression that it was a judicial separation, but that had been found to be. erroneous. However, it had since been discovered that she married one 'Grovesnor as late as May last at Wellington. His Honor said that she had no excuse for getting MARRIED A THIRD TIME at all events. Mr Donnelly asked for leniency, and said that, she had been pregnant some months ; and that a little stranger might be expected to arrive in December next. His Honor said it was difficult to know what to do with a woman of accused's sort. Bigamy was a very serious oSence, punishable with a sentence, of seven years' imprisonment, but he would take into consideration the special circumstances of which he was informed. Bigamy was not only an offence under the Matrimonial Act, but it was also one against the community. The sentence of the Court . would be three months' hard labor. The accused swooned on hearing this, falling in the dock and it was some time before she was brought round. The judge then made the sentence without hard labor, but on being informed that she would be better attended to if she. had hard labor— light wock would be allotted her— the sentence vras altered. Under the circumstances His Honor ordered the gaol authorities to give her special care. Accused was then removed.