SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13729, 19 August 1908, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

CHRISTCHURCH SITTINGS. BIGAMY. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, August 18. At the Supreme Court to-day Leonard Sutherland, found guilty of forgery, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Charlotte Elizabeth Monaghan was indicted on a charge that on April 18th last at Ashburton she committed tlie crime of bigamy by marrying George Wanacott, her husband, James Stephen Monagban, being still alive. His Honour put the issue to the jury, whether when accused went through the second marriage ceremony she had honest and ' reasonable belief that her husband was dead. After a retirement of about half an hour, the jury returned with the answer "No" to the issue submitted, with the rider that they wished his Honour to deal leniently with the accused. His Honour said that the jury's answer was equivalent to a vordict of guilty. Addressing tho accused, his Honour said that she had no doubt been guilty of bigamy. After referring to the serious aspects of the crime in certain circumstances," his Honour said that though in the present case the jury had properly found that the woman had acted recklessly, and, though there were no suspicious circumstances connected with the second marriage ceremony, there appeared to have been some suggestion ,that her first husband was dead! He thought he would he giving full effect to the recommendation of the jury if he ordered accused to come up for sentence wh,en called on. PERJURY CHARGES. Thomas Vicker,y was indicted on a charge that on May 21st last in the Magistrate's Court at Oxford he committed perjury. After a retirement of twenty minutes the jury returned with a verdict of "not guilty," and the accused was discharged. John Page was indicted on a charge of perjury in a case heard at the Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, on; May 10 last. The hearing, was not finished when the Court rose for the day.