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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1069, 4 May 1882, Page 3

"Referring to the alleged case of bigamy, now under judicial investigation at Marton, the Advocate says that, until a recent date, Frank Pearce Phillips, the accused, was schoolmaster at South Makirikiri. Whilst there Miss Hempseed, a girl between fourteen and fifteen years of age, was one of his pupils. He used to take this young lady and give her special instruction out of school hours. He evidently had a vile purpose to accomplish, for he seduced the girl. The consequences of her weakness having become apparent, he took her to Palmerston, and the Registrar united the pair in the bonds of matrimony. He subsequently resigned his position as teacher, but continued to reside at South Makirikiri. A rumor got about that Phillips had a wife living at Auckland, where she followed the profession of a school teacher. Inquiries were made, with the result that there appeared to be no doubt that Mrs. Phillips No. 1 was living at Auckland. Considerable delay took place, as Inspector James refused to take any steps until an information had been laid by some of the deluded girl’s friends. Ultimately Mr * Donald Maclean, brother-in-law of the'girl, aaid an information. It is said that Phillips Isserts, when he married in Auckland in 1860, lie thought that a wife whom he had left behind in England was dead. He subsequently

I discovered that sheliad b*eeh alive'at the time of the Auckland marriage, and hence that | marriage was null and void. The wife in I England is alleged to have died before the ; marriage with Miss Hempseed. If the above I were true, of course his marriage with Miss j Hompsesd would be lawful, and the charge of 1 bigamy would break down. It is said that I Pliillips ran away with a young lady from j Auckland to Nelson, and that her parentsfol- | lowed her and brought her back. He for some i Ume had charge of the Wakefield School, near ' Meis cui, and liis Auckland wife then lived with Lias.