LOVE AND POLITICS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13337, 28 March 1911, Page 8

LOVE AND POLITICS.

MARRIED MAN’S WOOING. "A Life of Lies.” LONDON, February 10. A strange story of a married man's wooing, of his proposal of marriage in a Parliamentary election committee room, and of a wile’s warning to save the girl who was being deceived, was before the Court yesterday. A slim-built man, named Edward Baron Pickin, aged 39 years, and a clerk by occupation, was indicted for having obtained - £lO from Miss Edith Marian Morris. Prosecutrix, a smart-looking young woman, stated that on January 4, 1910, she met the prisoner for the first time. He was then in charge of a Parliamentary committee room in Hampstead Road. N.W., and witness was canvassing for one of the candidates. “He told me,” continued witness, “most emphatically, that he was a single man, and he asked me to walk out with him as a preliminary to becoming engaged to be married. In March he proposed marriage, but I then disagreed. At the end of the month he asked me for £lO to buy ,£lO worth of shares, saying that he was going to buy £2OO worth for Himself and his sisters. She did not know that accused was married until she met his wife on the dav of King Edward’s funeral. She came up and asked witness if she was aware she was walking out with her husband. Witness said, “No.” She said. “You don’t look like a girl who docs. If you promise not to see him again 1 won’t follow yon home and tell your people.” Witness promised. •The prisoner, in evidence, said that life in a committee room was of a very sociable character. He thus chatted with Miss Morris, and she told him of her home affairs, asking him to keep them secret. After that “it was practically a life of telling lies.” He declared that she was nothing to him at any time, and swore that her story of the shares was untrue. She had, however, lent him the money. As for promising her marriage, he said, “She told me -she had heaps of offers. They were being brought to her door every day.” (Laughter.) Detective-sergeant Cmikshanks said that in 1899 the prisoner was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for false pretences. “No matter wherever you go or to whom you speak, be it a friend or otherwise,’ added witness, “it’s always the same: be has done everybody. (Laughter.) There is not one redeeming feature in the whole of .his career. He has been married about nine years, and during the whole of that time Lis wife lias had to work hard to pay a stream of debts he has contracted in order to keep him out of prison. He has a dog, and he has more respect for the animal than he has for his wife. or. for that matter, anyone else."

The accused was convicted, and sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment.