Slightly Mixed.

Manawatu Herald, 18 August 1892, Page 3

Slightly Mixed.

At the Old Bailey, John Stevens, 43, described as a publican, was indicted for committing bigamy with Anuie Stokes.— Counsel for the prosecution stated that the prisoner was married in 1887, but separated from his wife attar a short time. In June, 1869, he went through the form of marriage with Annie Stokes. That was the case for the prosecution ; but Mr Geoghegan, for the defence, elicited the following extraordinary facts, viz., that Annie Stokes, so far from resenting the bigamous contract, was living with the prisoner, that the police had interfered and instituted the present proceedings, and that she was paying for prisoner's defence. — The police officer in the case, on baing called, threw still further remarkable light upon the position of the parties. He said he had ascertained that the prisoner's wife had also gone through a form of marriage with another man, and that prisoner himself had also '• married " another woman, named Hollis, who, in her turn, had married another man. (Laughter.) The prisoner and his real wife had both been tried and convicted for bigamy, and the wife had since gone through the ceremony a third time with .a third man. — On the part of the prisoner, Mr Geoghegan urged that he was under the impression that by his conviction his marriage was dissolved and that he was free to ninny again. He also submitted that there was no case to go to a jury, inasmuch as it had not been shown that prisoner knew his wife was still alive,— The Common Sergeant took this view of the matter, and directed the jury to say prisoner was not guilty, which they forthwith did, and he was discharged.