Thought She Was Free to Marry Again

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 754, 29 August 1929, Page 1

Thought She Was Free to Marry Again

WOMAN FACES CHARGE LONG-LOST HUSBAND An explanation that she had been told that the man she had married was already married and that she was free to marry again, was made by Minnia Ciamest Horrocks, who was charged at the Police Court this morning with bigamy. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. She had not seen her husband since he left for the war. The detailed charge against Horrocks was that she went through a form of marriage with George Earl at Auckland, having been married to William Arthur Meredith at Monmouth, England, in 1912. Mr. J. E. Ray appeared for accused, and the evidence was taken before Messrs. A. J. Stratford and R. T. Michaels, J.P.’s. According to William Arthur Meredith, a tailor, of Christchurch, he had married the accused in England when he was 35 years of age. Shortly after the wedding in 1912 witness and his wife had come out to New Zealand. “When the Great War broke out, I left the Dominion with the 20th reinforcement,” continued witness. "I returned to New Zealand IS months after the war and was then unable to trace my wife. She told me at the time of the marriage that she was a widow.” WITNESS TO MARRIAGE Madeline Ann Heflern said that she was a witness to a marriage between accused and George Earl at the Registrar’s Office, Auckland, on December 21, 1921. Prior to the marriage accused and Earl had lived with witness at No. 1 Baker Street. Witness identified accused and assured the court that she had no knowledge of accused’s previous marriage, although the woman had mentioned that she had a daughter, "Maudie,” in England. Frank Evans, registrar of births, deaths and marriages at Auckland, produced a certificate of the marriage between accused and George Earl on December 21, 1921. BACK TO FIRST WIFE Statements made by the accused and produced by Detective White, of Hamilton, gave Horrocks’s explanation that she had been told by Meredith’s mother that he was already married when he married her. Meredith had admitted the truth of this to her, but said that his first wife had no claim on him. Accused had received a letter from Meredith after the war saying that he was having a good time with his first wife in England, and did not intend returning to New Zealand. Accused had therefore considered herself free to mary Earl. Mr. Ray asked the court’s permission to draw attention to one or two points in the case, after which it might be considered whether a prima facie case had been established. Meredith, in his evidence, had said that he had been married before the Boer War. There was no evidence of the deatli of that wife except the man’s statement. The evidence further showed that Meredith had found his first wife when he returned to England, and had spent some time with her. LFp to receiving that information- 4b a letter from Meredith, accused had been drawing an allowance from his army pay. She had immediately written, saying that she w.ould take no more money, and never wanted to hear from him again. Mr. Michaels was of the opinion that the court could do nothing but send the case on. Counsel should have cross-examined Meredith on the points he had mentioned when he had the chance. A plea of not guilty was entered, and Horrocks was committed for trial, the defence being reserved. Bail was asked for, and DetectiveSergeant Kelly suggested one surety of £IOO. Counsel asked for a reduction to £SO. The woman was well known at her home in Ngaruawahia, and was only too glad to have the whole affair cleared up. Bail was accordingly fixed in one surety of £SO, on the condition that accused reported to the police once a week.