DOMESTIC DIPLOMATIST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2163, 14 August 1920, Page 2

DOMESTIC DIPLOMATIST.

KKKrs TWO WIVHS SWKKT. Alfred .John Xeath {!>!•), who was picked up by t lie police at Auckland Inst month for having unlawfully annexed a pair of bools, was incidentally found to be the possessor of a pair of wives, bolh of whom he had booked in the regular way, one at Auckland, and the other at Wellington, Tie came before the Police Court' on Wednesday on a charge of bigamy, For about: three months he had been living a double life at; Xewton, residing 1 chiefly with No 2, but occasionally staying away from home for a night or so on various pretexts, when he visited No. 1, winlived about 500 yards away. When I lie bools tripped him. the Plainciothes Constable Kobertson interviewed him, he gave the address of I lie real wife, but presently when ids name got into the-papers (he second lady and a child came on the scene. Thereupon Xeath admitted having committed bigamy, in that he had married a woman somewhat older than himself in Auckland in 1910. Later he went to work in Wellington, his occupation as cook and labourer being itinerant, and he met a. Scotch maid of 22 years, of whom he became enamoured. He posed an a single man named Heath, and they were married at Wellington in November last. About live months later they moved up to Auckland, and Xeath, who had continued friendly relations with his real wife all along, managed to keep the ITeathXeath drama moving above suspicion, till the bool theft brought a climax. ' “My married life has been the happiest- lime of my life,” declared the Scotch lassie, in giving evidencethe statement being made in reply to a question by Xeath as to how he had treated her. Xeath then desired that his real wife should be put in the box to say a few words in his favour, but Chief-Detective McMahon staled that the Jaw prohibited a wife, called at the instance of the prosecution, giving any evidence for or against her husband; she was merclv an exhibit in the case.

This domestic diplomatist pleaded guilty, remarking- that he would reserve till later what he had to say in self-extenuation, and the .Justices committed him to the Supreme Court for sentence.