ANOTHER TRY

NZ Truth, Issue 1197, 8 November 1928, Page 3

ANOTHER TRY

Pity For Misguided Bigamist

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) It was away back m 1906 that the human heart and protective interests of John Carrol were touched to compassion when m Palmerston North he came across a woman who had been abandoned by her husband.

UP against it. with young children she hardly knew which way to turn — and then she met honest John. His sympathetic ear was attuned to her troUbles and he decided that his manly duty was to take her m and care for her.

Without the blessing of church or registrar, Carrol and the woman defied the social conventions and lived together as man and. wife. They were happy. The days drifted along and two children were born to them. Life went along on oiled wheels, but m 1920 the woman's thoughts turned to marriage with John and at her request he went through the ceremony. ■.■<.'■- Strangely enough they separated soon afterwards and both went their different ways. .

Then one day Carrol met a young, single woman. They were mutually attracted and she longed for the day when she could call him husband.

Once more iCarrol made his prepnrations for the nuptial ceremony, but what about his former marriage? ;

Here was a difficulty, but John surmounted it by deciding that his other marriage was illegal on the grounds that the woman's husband might still be alive. .

Al.l doubts were at rest and he took another wife. / But there is always the fly m the ointment and it Was decidedly unfor? tunate for Carrol that he should find himself at last charged with bigamy.

After his second marriage he had gone" to live with the woman's parents, and she, m spite of the charge, was anxious to stay with him.

v Fop he had all the qualifications ' of a good husband, being a hard worker and quite prepared to make a home for her. Then, came the shadow of. the law, darkening his outlook, and it was a rather worried -looking man who faced Judge Blair at Auckland last week for sonterice on a charge of bigamy. His counsel put forward many good points m John's favor. There appeared to have been an honest desire on Carrol's part to do what he conceived to be his moral duty, and his fii'st wife did not ask for any maintenance as she was m regular work and wished to go her own way. „' ' • He had acted m a straight -forward manner and had no desire to mislead anyone.

Judge; Blair took a aenient view of the case, remarking that there were many circumstances aboat the case that were commendable. He attached a good deal of weight to. 'what counsel had said. No doubt CaiTOl had regarded his second marriage as a matter of duty. The case was different to the ordinary run of bigamy . cases, inasmuch as there had been practically no deception.

He then sentenced .. Carrol to two years' probation and bordered him to pu y the costs of the prosecution.

"I hope you will : take steps to regularize your present marriage,'.' said hia honor after passing sentence.

Ho intimated that ho would Hot make this a'condition of probation as he was quite sure Carrol would do so.