MAN’S MANY MARRIAGES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 430, 29 August 1908, Page 4

MAN’S MANY MARRIAGES.

Brides Who are Alleged to Have Been Deserted.

Amazing allegations regarding a man’s many marriages were made at Huddersfield on July ist last, when James Walker, described as a confectioner and a doctor, was brought before the magistrates on remand. Four definite charges were preferred against Walker, as follows: — Stealing ,£SO belonging to Fanny Henderson Davies and Minnie Davies, of Southport. Stealing belonging to Fanny Henderson Davies.

Bigamously marrying Fanny Henderson Davies at Trinity Ch., Huddersfield.

Making a false marriage declaration.

Mr James Sykes, who appeared for the Public Prosecutor, told an astounding story of Walker’s many alleged ventures into matrimony. The story opened as far December 19th, 1892, when, according to Mr Sykes, Walker was married in the name of Harry Archibald, to a woman he had known for two months.

The marriage took place at Newcastle-on-Tyne, and almost immediately after the ceremony Walker induced his bride to draw her money from the bank. Then ii days after the marriage, he is alleged to have drugged his wife with chlorodyne, and, after collecting jewellery and money to the value of belonging to her, to have absconded.

The next chapter in the story began on March 23rd, 1908, when Walker, under the name of S. Lawrence, married at Lancaster a woman to whom he had represented himself as a doctor from America spending a holiday in England. In this case, said Mr Sykes, the bride was deserted during the honeymoon, Walker taking with him all her jewellery.

In the autumn of last year, Walker turned up in Huddersfield, and, posing as a bachelor and a physician, won the affections of Miss Fanny Henderson Davies. They were married on October 28th, and during the honeymoon Miss Davies missed in banknotes. This sum now forms the subject of one of the larceny charges.

Walker afterwards went to Edinburgh with Miss Davies, but after they had been there a little while he deserted her. She met him again in Hull, and they lived together again. They then de^

cided to go to America, but while travelling to Liverpool to take the boat for New York Walker again absconded. Karly this year Walker appeared in Gloucester. This time he was Arthur John Ford, a solicitor from California. He met a widow named Frances Day, and ou March 3rd was married to her at the registry . office at Gloucester, ■ Shortly after the marriage, Walker persuaded the widow to raise money on her house and then he decamped with the money received in cashing a cheque made out to Mrs Day. For this transaction, it was intimated, he was wanted by the Gloucester police. A month later he was in business as a confectioner in Bristol under the name of James Johnson, and Mr Sykes alleged that on April 2nd he was married to a Miss Blandford.

Mr Sykes added that Walker’s real wife and two daughters were living at Moffat, and were under observation. Walker was remanded ou all the charges for seven days.