A GIRL WIFE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8102, 30 August 1904, Page 2

A GIRL WIFE.

l\ MARRIED AT FIFTEEN, i ALLEGED FiLSE STATEMENT. I THE GIRL~COMMITTED. » A REMARKABLE CASE. i An interesting case came before thu Mcl--3 bourne City Court recently, when a bright, I pretty-faced girl, named Margaret Chandr lef, was charged with making a statement - for the purpose of being married, well . knowing the same to be false, on April 23, ! 1904. A birth certificate produced during the y, hearing of the case showed the girl to be . fifteemyears of age, and even the long dress B which she was wearing in Court did not r make her look more than two yeara older. She Avas undefended. Mrs Emily S. Jones, -of Fairfield Park, stated that accused was her niece. The o- girl's father had died about seven years a ago, and- her mother three years ago. „ She had lived with witness for about two years prior to February last, when sno ran away. Witness got a warrant out for hei > arrest, and she was sent to the Salvation t Army. On April 28 witness discovered that s she was married, and was living at Wil--3 liamstown. Witness visited her, and, in answer to inquiries, accused stated that she had been married under the name oJ c Daisy Ryan. Her i*>roper name was Mar- . : garet Sophia. Neck, and when witness asked i- her why she assumed a wjong name she said that she was afraid that witness would find her out. lx • Mrs Elizabeth Chandler, residing at Anr '- i Street, Williamstbwn, said tbat she was a r | sister-in-law to the accused's husband. She ; i was present at accused's marriage, which ' ; took place at Holt's Matrimonial Agency, c j Accused said her name was Daisy Ryan. '• I that she was twenty-one years of age, anc c ■ that her father's name was David Ryan. a ; Witness met her for the first time on the day preceding the marriage. The fiusbanc was Albert Chandler, /witness's husband's brother. ' ii Mr Panton. P.M. :Do you mean to say n that you went there blindly, only knowing .. the girl for one day, and knowing tnat your brother-in-law was going to marry her 5 15 Did you not make any inquiries as to who ; " she was? , Witness : I asked him where he met her, 0 and he said she had been stopping at a a relative's. What does he do? — He's a labourer. He c doos anything he can get. a * Is your husband present ? — Yes. c Did he know that this marriage was s going on? — Yes. i Mr Panton: Jt is a most unfortunate thing the lot of you are not up for cone spiracy. Herbert J. Wiltshire stated that he was - a clergyman of the Free Christian Church, living at George Street, Fitzroy. He was licensed to celebrate marriages, and had f been relieving the Rev J. J. Abbott for r close on nine months. He produced a , declaration signed by the parties testifying c to the accused being twenty-one years of age. and also a certificate of the marriage r of Albert Sueben Chandler to Daisy Ryan. 1 Mr Panton : When you performed this ceremony what sort of a light was it ? , Witness : A good light. Are you aware that you are liable to prosecution for marrying a girl under the age of twenty-one years? — I know. Is it your judgment that she. is twentyone years? — I had no reason whatever to question the statements made on oatli by L tlie witnesses. Mr Panton : You are not only to question the statements made on oath ; you are to exercise your judgment. You have the responsibility yourself. I will make no fur- ' ther remark." You will havo an opportunity i of defending yoursolf. We liave had enough - of this sort of thing. Did you question the accused as to her age? * Witness: May I make a statement? ' Mr Panton : Yes you can. 5 Witness : Tlie information was given . prior to my meeting the parties. I asked ; whether she was over twenty-one, and on ; optli, with the witnesses present,* she declared that she was, and also signed the statement of the witnesses. . Constable Wardley produced' a certificate i showing that the accused was born on r Aueust 20, 1889. . Mr Panton : in this case I intend to com- ' mit this child for trial, but at the same ' time J. think the police should take pro- : ceedin'gs against the whole crowd of them, > and the clergyman who married the girl. *• It is a disgraceful thing that a case of this . .sort should be allowed under our eyes. A L child like that married ! It is a farce. (To the accused, who was weeping) : Meanwhile ! you stand committed to take your trial afc \ the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court. Mr Panton asked if the husband were '. present, and receiving a reply in the affir- . mative remarked that he did not want to i speak to him. "He will have to be prose- , cuted along wilh the others," added the ' P.M.