ALLEGED BIGAMY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10631, 29 November 1912, Page 3

ALLEGED BIGAMY.

— ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. An elderly woman named Marion Cobeldick was charged before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court this morning, with having married William Thomas Burbury at Duncdin on July 6, knowing at the time that her husband was still alive. William Cobeldick, a Public Works inspector nt Wellington, said that he had married the accused on May 16, 1873, at Wellington. After the marriage the couple lived in Christchurch for about five years. Five sons and two daughters were born. About the year 1896 there wore strained relations between tho witness and his wife, and they parted, the wife going to livo on their farm at T'aagitata- At this stage of tho proceedings a. letter was handed to the witness, which ho said he was unawaro of ever having received, and he could not swear it was in Mrs Cobeldick's writing. In reply to the Chief Detective, the witness said that he visited Christchurch during tho Exhibition period of 1906-7, and boarded a few days with a Mrs Ryan, an old friend of his and defendant's. He had always been in communication with his sons, except for a period of about eighteen months, when he was engaged upon exploration work in Alaska. Ho had never communicated at any time with Mrs Cobeldick. Detective Eade was called, and said that in company with Detective Thompson he had arrested the accused. He had known her since 1895, and she was then on the farm at Rangitata. Witness saw Mr Cobeldick nt Ashburton in 1896, and had heard from him since then. When he read the warrant to defendant she told him she had not seen her husband for eighteen years. Mrs Ellen Ryan, matron 'of tho Young Men's Christian Association, stated that she had known accused and her husband for many years, and had visited Mrs Cobeldick on the farm at Rangitata, and defendant had said that she could not possiblv live with her husband again. Witness remembered Mr Cobeldick staying at her bouse in 1907, and shortly after h P had left Mrs Cobeldick came to stay for a couple of days. Witness then told her that her husband was in town, hut did not say that he had stayed at her home. Mrs Cobeldick also stayed with witness at New Brighton. Ernest Cobeldick, a farmer residing at Tui, near Xelson, said ho was a soil of the accused and William Cobeldick. He had been away from home from 1900 to 1907. and during that time had seen his father several times. He visited tho farm at Rnniritata in 1907, this being the first time he had seen his mother since leaving home, and he told her that his father was alive. His father had lived near him at Tui for some time. Witness received a, letter about two years aero stating that his mother intended to marrv Burbury, but be had not taken anv hand in instituting these proceedings. Constable Townsend, of Nelson, interviewed witness a few days ago, and lie was the first person to whom he bad made any mention of thr letter. TI-jV, closed the case for the police, and Mr Donnellv, representing accused, reserved his defence. Accused was committed for trial, bail allowed in £SO and one suretv of £SO.

In China to this day tho thumb-print is used !>:i documents. osppcinlly wills, iu i>lncc ci the writ-ten name.