BIGAMIST CONVICTED

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 112, 5 February 1919, Page 7

BIGAMIST CONVICTED

MAN WITH UNSATISFACTORY RECORD. In tho Supreme Court yesterday, 'before His Honour Mr.' Justice Edwards, William Gartligate White was charged— (1) That on July 2.3, .1917, he committed bigamy, in (lint, although already married to Esther Louisa Simmonds, he went through the'form of marriage with Kath-leen-'Alice-Winter; (2) that on July 23, 1917, he knowingly made a false declaration with the purpose of procuring a registrar's certificate. j The accused pleaded guilty. The facts of the case as disclosed in tho Lower Court wore that White was lawfully.married to Esther Louisa Sim:monds in June, 1900, at the RegistryOifico, Wellington. Tho pn.ir.Hved at the Lower.Hutt until 1909, when accused left. liis wife. In February, 1910, he met her in Wellington. ■ On May 25, 1917, he went to the Registrar, and mado a declaration that ho had been soparated from his wife for two years, and had not heard of her for eight years. He said he proposed to.marry a Miss Russell, but this marriage did not eventuate. On July 23, 1917, White again saw'the Registrar and made a declaration similar to that asked for in May. He then went through a form of niarriago with Kathleen Alice Winter, Mr. H, F. O'Lenry, who appeared for. Whito, in addressing His Honour, said that White had been married some twelve years ago, when.he was about 17 years old, ftnd lived with his wife for three yearns. Since then he. had not lived with her, nor had ho seen her except onco. Ho told his gecond wifo that ho had not seen his first wifo for about eight years, and told tho Registrar the same thing, and was informed that if ho could make a declaration to that effect ho could marry. As it happened. Whito Lad. seen his first wife once during the period and .therefore could not mako tho declaration truthfully, His first wife had since decided to divorce him, and .the woman with whom he committed bigamy was willing to marry him when he ij'free'todo- eo. ' His Honour: Hβ deceived tho second woman and'niarried her when he had no right to do so. '. Mr. P.' S. K. Macassey, who appeared for -the Crown, said that the police report w«S bad.' Whito lived with his first wife far three years and then left her. There was one child, aiid the mother and .child hafl never been.supported by him. Ho then lived with another woman, by whom lie hod a- child. He hod been a taxi-driver, and had his license taken from him because- hi? motor-car was specially used for prostitutes. His Honour remanded the prisoner till Friday far sentence.