WOMEN AND WINE

NZ Truth, Issue 1001, 31 January 1925, Page 7

WOMEN AND WINE

Alleged Bigamist's Gay Courtship

Says He Was "Drugged Into Contract."

Circumstances . surrounding three separate marriage contracts were probed into m the Magistrate's Court on Wednesday of this week, when Joseph James Groonotte was charged that being married, he went through a form of the happy ceremony with one Lilian May Woodhouse at Wellington on July 23, 1924.

Detective Murray, the officer m charge of the inquiry, produced several documents to bolster up the allegations. The first was a report from the London police declaring that Wilfred Albert Hewer appeared to be identical with Joseph James Groonotte who bigamously married Lilian Koster at Stratford on August. 29, 1923, and according to correspondence received from the South African authorities it was definitely established that Groonotte was first married to Fanny Thickborne at Johannesburg on No^ vember 24, 1913. That certificate indicated that he was born m Hamburg, Germany. A letter dated September 21, 1924, from Fanny Groonotte requested the police here to try to find her husband who had not forwarded a penny for the support of the child; and a statement made by Lilian Kbster at East Ham on October, 10, 1924, declared that she had married William John Hewer on August 29, 1923. In his statement Groonotte said he was born at Barking, London E. He admitted marrying Fanny Thickborne, but later learned that she was already married, and had children m a* home, and m 1919, after serving with the South African Forces, was introduced

by her to a man who she described as her real husband. When he married Lilian Koster he believed that he was entitled to do so, as he considered he was not married to his first wife. On that occasion he changed his name to William John Hewer. He said he had been drinking with the girl Koster at the time, . and described the union as the result of a drinking bout. He felt afterwards that he had been drugged into the contract. Accused further admitted that he gave a wrong name and false particular's concerning his mother and father at the local Registry Office oh July 23 last, and did not then mention that he was previously married. .

Yet another name entered into the business when the latest marriage certificate was produced. It showed that the contracting parties were Lilian May Woodhpuse and Wilfred Albert "Hewen." . .

At this stage Detective Murray told the Court that he had pointed out the different spelling of the surname to accused. Groonotte had replied it was a clerical error, owing to his making a bad letter "r." '

Lilian May Woodhouse, who said she married accused at the Registry Office on July 23 last, added that Groonotte had always told her that, he was^a bachelor. She first met him m Manners Street. He was then known to her as Searles, but he later said that vas mere fun, and that his name was Hewer. She kept company with liim for about nine months. Outside the Registry Office she had commented on the fact that Groonotte had married her under the name of "Hewei\." His reply was that he made bad "r's."

Lawyer Leicester, who had raised objection to the admissibility of portion's, of the evidence, further contended that the prfisecution had failed to produce any proof of the celebration and validity, of either of the alleged marriages m England and South Africa, that it had , not been proved that, the two other women were living when accused went through the form of marriage m Wellington, and that the certificate of , the Wellington marriage was not a document proving that Wilfred Albert : Hewer went through a form of marriage with Lilian May Woodhouse.

Magistrate Page thought there was evidence on these matters and sent accused along for trial. A plea of not guilty was entered.