BIGAMY AMD FRAUD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7507, 15 September 1902, Page 2

BIGAMY AMD FRAUD.

» STRANGE STORY OF FEMININE CREDULITL A remarkable story was unfolded at the Glamorgan Assizes, when a young man, named John Prince, was indicted for bigamy, forgery, and false pretences. It appears that before August of last year, Prince was employed at Barry Dock, where he lived with his wife and two children. He afterwards obtained employment at Pontlottyn, and took lodgings at the house of a Mrs Edwards, representing himself as a single man, and the heir to considerable estates. i Mrs Edwards had £220 in the Savings ■ Bank, and her daughter . a sum of about £200. At this period, Prince lived in great style, and altered his name to Ivor Rupert Meredith, incidentally claiming personal friendship with Mr Justice Bigham. He obtained £20 from Mrs Edwards, and went to London, wheire he wrote affectionate letters to Miss Edwards, who refused to marry him until the affairs in xc- . gard to has estates had been settled. He informed Mrs Edwards that " his friend Mr Justice Bigham" had written to him, stating that unless he went away he would, be assassinated by persons who were jealous of him, because of his wealth. Mrs and Miss Edwards thereupon* accompanied him to Southseeu. Here, again, he invoked the assistance of Mr Justice Bigham, who, as he informed Miss Edwards, . had told him that unless he married, his i life would be in danger, " because," to use • Prince's own; words, "unless I marry, the ' estates will go to someone else as soon as I am dead, but if I marry, you will get my i estates." This statement of the position! of affairs induced Miss Edwards to marry him. The prisoner, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced by Mr Justice Ridley to five r years' penal servitude for false pretences, and five years for bigamy, the sentences to run concurrently.