A BIGAMIST CAUGHT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 270, 5 March 1877, Page 2

A BIGAMIST CAUGHT.

Auckland.

Some weeks ago the Immigration Officer, Major Green, received certain documents from England, proving beyond doubt that Jos. J. Foster, one of the immigrants on board the ship Oxford, and described in the passenger list as a married man emigrating to New Zealand with his wife, had left his real wife and family in England without means of support. After the official inspection of the ship on Thursday, the reputed bigamist was called aft into the saloon, and was examined by the Immigration Commissioner. He is a man about twenty-eight years old, of sallow complexion, and unprepossessing appearance, and bears a very bad character on board. At first he denied the charge, but on being shown the document with full particulars of the complaint lodged by his wife, the church where they were married, and the children he had left behind, said it was all true, but that he was not married twice, for the woman with him was not his wife. The pseudo Mrs. Foster was then called in, and when asked if she was marrisd to Foster, replied, "No." Major Green informed the man that if the law could not touch him in any other way he would be prosecuted for signing a false statement. The woman said her proper name was Mary Ann Theakston. Among the documents received by Major Green is one that shows that "J. Foster, Esq.," served thirty days in gaol in England as a vagrant.