Bigamy and Wife Dseertion.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 34, 6 July 1870, Page 6

Bigamy and Wife Dseertion.

A most heartless case of •wife-desertion was heard in the City Court, Melbourne, on Friday, which, by the time it had concluded, had extended into a long story of shameful deception and unblushing villany, that is painful to contemplate, Thomas H, Jones, said to have been well known In Melbourne some twelve or fourteen years ago as a land auctioneer, and also to have appeared on the stage of the Princess' Theatre, was brought up on a warrant, taken out at the instance of his wife, for deserting her. When first brought up, he asked to be allowed a few minutes' private conversation with the prosecutrix, saying that he thought he could arrange the case. The negotiation failed, and the case was heard. The injured woman stated that he left her three years ago, and proceeded to New Zealand, since which he had contributed very little to her support, and latterly deserted her entirely. The prisoner cross-examined his wife at some length respecting the moral character of her lodgers, until she retorted that he had little occasion to reproach her with that when he was going about the country in the company of a young woman wh® was then in court. The bench ordered him to find a surety in £2O to pay his wife 15s a week for twelve months. The young woman alluded to then deliberately applied to the bench for a warrant against Jones for bigamy, as he' had been married to her three years before in Wellington. She states that her name is Amelia J. B. Croabie, and that the prisoner had met her in Wellington three years before, and, representing himself as a widower, had gained her affections and married her. She had lived with him ever since, and it was only very lately she had discovered he had another wife The man had actually carried on a correspondence with his first wife all the time, and it was the discovery of some of the letters that first led to his detection.— Telegraph.