BRIDEGROOM THRASHED

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1929, Page 5

BRIDEGROOM THRASHED

RAN AWAY WITH GIRL OF 18

LONDON, May 29.

Perciyal Douglas Reeves, aged 38, manager of a Newmarket cinema, was barged at Cambridge on Saturday .vitli making a false declaration to the registrar of marriages • concefnihg the ige of Enda May Mercer,--only daughter of Mr S. Mercer, trainer o~ racelorscs, and Mrs Mercer, of-Red House, Newmarket. ... The charge was that ReEvcs-declared that Miss Mercer was 21, whereas she yas 18 last December and therefore required her parents’ consent to her marriage which had been refused. A licence was issued and the couple were married. I r \x-, ■ Mrs Mercer said ;that/her daughter worked at the cinema where- ' Reeves was manager. He said to her/; (Mrs .Mercer), “My directors wish me';;, to get married.” She .asked, /“Who- is the person?” and .he replied.-pifYour daughter. One of my directors thinks I may. as well get married and says it is only a- question of 24 hours.” She asked him,; “Do you think -you are taking out a dog license?” and said the consent of her husband and herself would not he given. The" girl was taken from her employment at the cinema and was forbidden to speak to Reeves, who was ordered not to commnuicate with her. On May 9 Mrs Mercer missed her daughter from the house and drove after her and Reeves to Cambridge. “CAN GO TO HIGHER COURT.” When she returned she received a telegram telling her that her daughter was married. She went to the house of Reeves at Ashley, near Newpiarket, and asked her daughter to’/return home.' The girl refused and and Reeves smacked her (Mrs Mercer’s) face and said, “What I want I nave and I have taken-your-daughter and mean to keep her.” Mr Mercer said he was so angry when he heard of the marriage that he gave Reeves a thorough good thrashing. He had idolised liis daughter and lived for her.

The Bench convicted Reeves of perjury and fined him £2O and £2l costs. The prosecuting solicitor said that as fraud had been' proved m obtaining tlie licence, the father of the girl could, if he chose, go to- a higher court and obtain annulment of the marriage.