Noki" ussing a Pai'A. —Robert Francis Fairlie, a gentlemanly-looking man, apparently between forty and fifty years of age, surrendered at the Central Criminal Court to take his trial for having procured a marriage license by making a false statement. It appeared that at the commencement of 1861, the defendant began paying his addresses to a Miss Englaud, but as she had not attained her eighteenth year, her rather requested him to wait two years before presMrg his suit. This he consented to do, and Mr. England then entered the following memorandum in his diary :—" Friday, January 25, 1861. Mr. Fairlie : Had a long conversation respecting Lizzie. I told him that if he takes no stops in that direction '/or two years from this day, • I will g,ivc him the same powers as Dixon (this referred to a gentleman who was courting another daughter), to use his powers to win the affections of my daughter, but on no account to make attempts to pave the way before that time.'' lie showed this to the defendant, and got him to pledge his honor to observe it, as a man and a Freemason. Mr. Fairlie, however, seemed unable to visit the house without showing his partiality for the young lady; and in September, when they both visited the Crystal Palace, he procured the marriage license by representing that lie had the consent of her father, and they were married. The father then took out the present indictment. In cross-, examination, Mr. England was obliged to confess that he had run away-\yith the young lady's mother, and had lived with her some time before the death ot Jus first wife. This was sufficient to quash the case, »s he could no longer be regarded legally as the iather or guardian of Miss England. There was an attempt at applause in the court as the jury pronounced a v erdfct of acquitita). —English paper.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 180, 25 June 1862, Page 5
Word Count
319Untitled Otago Daily Times, Issue 180, 25 June 1862, Page 5
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