EXTRAORDINARY BIGAMY. CASES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 86, 15 May 1877, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY BIGAMY. CASES.

On Thursday, at Preston public-court, a respectable woman named Catharine Kelly, aged 35, was charged, on remand, with having intermarried with Henry Pearson, her husband, John Kelly, being still alive. Pearson, who is a gas stoker, living in Homer-street, Preston, said that in 1860 he enlisted in the 25th regiment at Preston, and it was soon afterwards removed to Aldershot, where the prisoner and her husband joined the regiment. In 1862 the 25th was sent to Edinburgh, and Kelly and his wife were there transferred to the 88th regiment, then in India. The 25th was sent to Calcutta in 1868, and in 1872 was removed to Jubbulpore. On the 28th March, 1876, the 25th regiment landed at Portsmouth, and on the Ist of September in that yeur he purchased his discharge. Having since learned that Kelly was alive, he gave the prisoner into custody. The prisoner admitted the marriage to Kelly, and stated that at that time she was only 15-J- years old. Kelly afterwards at Winchester joined the 88th regiment as a single man, leaving her on a sick bed in Manchester. He sent her 20s. from Werley, and then joined the East India Company's service, but deserted and enlisted in the sth dragoon guards, in the name of John Underwood, and she joined him at Newbridge barracks, in Ireland. He deserted from the sth dragoons, and, after enlisting in the 47th and 18th regiments, was transferred to the 25th, and she and her husband were drafted into the 88 th regiment at Bengal. He behaved very bad to her in India, and in 'consequence of his illusage she left him at Cawnpore in 1866. Whilst there he commenced an action against her and a man named Thomas Power, for stealing a horse and buggy and some clothing; and Power was apprehended, but discharged. That was after she had left Kelly. She then went with her husband and Thomas Power before the magistrates, and they all signed a paper of separation. Kelly was afterwards apprehended on a charge of embezzlement, and some time after was sent with his regiment to Peshawur. She never saw him again in India, and she remained three years in Cawnpore. She married Thomas Power, but he died six months afterwards and left her £150 and his watch. Then she went to Jupbulpore, where she married Henry Pearson, in the name of Power; and the day after she gave him £4=o, and he had since got the whole of her money from her, and the watch too. When his regiment was at Shorncliffe he purchased his discharge with a portion of the money. Tliey came to Manchester on the 23rd December last, and on the 27th she told Pearson she had heard that Kelly was alive. He said, " Never mind, we shall live happy together." On the 4th January, Pearson came to Preston, and on the sth she went to look for her first husband, Kelly, and found him living in Oldham-road, Manchester, with another woman, whom he had married. She informed the police that Kelly was a deserter from the sth dragoons, and he ran away. She then came to Preston and lived with Pearson five or six weeks, until she found him keeping company with another woman, about which they had a quarrel, and he gave her into custody. Detective Charnley produced the marriage certificate of Jubbulpore, which he had received from Pearson. The prisoner was committed for trial at the Liverpool assizes.

John Bummer, aged 19, was charged with having married Elizabeth Eccles, aged 29, on the 30th December last, his wife, Ann Jane Kirkham, aged 20, whom he had married on February 19, 1876, being still alive. The first wife has a child six weeks old, and the second is near her confinement. Eccles said she knew the prisoner was married, when She married him, but had kept company with him three years. The prisoner was committed for trial at the Liverpool assizes.