BIGAMY ADMITTED

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 146, 16 March 1939, Page 5

BIGAMY ADMITTED

Woman Who Gave Herself

Up To Police COMMITTED TO SUPREME COURT FOR SENTENCE A woman married in Napier in 1934 who went through a form of marriage in Wellington last year, while her lawful husband was si ill living, walked into the detectives’ office, Wellington, and gave herself up for having committed bigamy. She was Mabel Amelia Newham, described as a domestic, aged 34, and when she appeared before Mr. J. 11. Luxford, S.M., in the -Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, charged with the offence, she pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court, where she is to be sentenced today. Detective-Sergeant P. Doyle prosecuted and accused was represented by Mr. J; Meltzer.

Maurice Frederick Newham, warehouseman, Napier, said he first met accused in 1932 and knew her then as Mabel Matthews. She told witness she was married aud was a Mrs. Gleeson. In .1933 she was divorced by her husband, and the Supreme Court made the degree absolute during February, 1934. Ou April 23, 1934, accused was married to witness in the office of the Registrar of Marriages, Napier. Previous to that, on February 16, 1934, twins were born to them. They lived together in Wellington, and in February, 1935, moved to Napier, where they lived till September 13 of that year, when accused left him and returned to Wellington. “I did not see her again after that,” said Newham.

Frederick William Crosby, insurance canvasser, Wellington, shid he first met accused three and a half years ago, and then knew her as Miss Elaine Hoffmann. During the time he kept company with her she maintained sue was single. Ou October 10 last a child was born to them, and after some discussion accused agreed to marry him. When they went, through a form of marriage in the office of the registrar. Wellington, on December 21 last, witness believed she was single. She gave her name as Elaine Val-ini Hoffmann.

Mr. Meltzer: Would it be correct to say accused appeared unwilling to marry you? Witness: She was at first.

Cross-examined further, witness said it would be correct to say he had persuaded her to marry him.

When accused called at the detectives’ office she was very agitated, said Detective H. A. Hay. She said she wanted to give herself up for having committed bigamy, and in a statement to the police she admitted the offence and said Crosby had persuaded her to marry him because of the child. “Accused said she had worried so much about the matter that she hardly knew what she was doing,” the detective added.