THE CHARGE OF BIGARMY AGAINST A MAGISTRATE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 359, 13 April 1889, Page 3

THE CHARGE OF BIGARMY AGAINST A MAGISTRATE.

At the Water Police Court on the 30bh ulb. William Green Hibble, J.P., of Sydnoy, was charged, on remand, boforo Mr G. W. F. Addison, S.M., bhab heh c did, on the 21sb day of July, 1886, marry Harrieb Coiston, ' whilst hor husband (Petor Leask Cor&ton) had nob been continually absonl from her for tho space of seven yours, and thai the said William Greon Hibblo did know Harrieb Corston to be married and her husband bo be alive ab tho time of contracbing the said marriage. Ths information was laid by Mrs Cordton, who on Thur&day week was committed for trial on a charge of bigamy. Mr Roberts, sen., ' prosecuted, and Mr Wallace defended. William Ed waid Hibble, the son of the accused, deposed thatho knew Mrs Corston; Jirst saw her on July 18bh, 1886, the day alter her anival from New Zealand ; went to see her in company with bi& father ; bhoy saw her in tho sitting-ioora of tho Masonic Hotel ; Mrs Corston put her arms round wibncsb'b neck and kis=ed him, saying that she was so glad she was going to such a nice family ; that she was going to be his mother, and that she hoped their love would be cemented together; remained with Mrs Corston and Miss Corston all that day ; remembered Mrs Cor&bon in New Zealah'df ; when he Faw Mrs Corston that morning &ho told him that Mr Corston had been thrown out of a buggy in Bourkc-street and killed ; she added that ho was not a bad husband, but had his failings, and she hoped she was going to bo happier; saw soino papois tin own into tho tiio in tho Codiingtonstreeo house by Mrs Corston, when they got into high words ; was a witness at the wedding ; after tho wedding tho couple went away, and witness got tho house ready in Codrington-street; tor some time they all lived very happily together ; some few months afterwards heard something about Corston being alive ; they went to Kushcutter Bay to live ; while his father w a& away in New Zealand witness conducted his business ; the proceedings wero not instituted against Mrs Corston by his father ; remembered Mrs Corston coming to the shop in Elizabeth-street with Mr Reynolds, jun,, and her daughter ; Mis Corston came in a very boisterous manner and spoke about his father sending for Corsbon, and said she would blow his biains out. To Mr Roberts : Did not quarrel with his father about his being married ; his father was not in pecuniary difiiculties about that time. Harry Hibble testified that ho was in the employ of his brother ; went over to New Zealand with his father in Match, 1886 ; landed in Auckland on a Sunday morning ; went to see Mrs Corston ab her own house ; a Mr Holmes told his father where she lived ; stopped ab her hou&e for about half on hour on the Sunday afternoon ; witness was. in the room with them all the while. His father asked where Mr Corston, her husband, was. She replied that he was in Melbourne. It was simply a friendly conversation. They saw Mrs Cordon in Auckland on the following day, when she accompanied her father, aunt, and several others on a drive. They again called to see her on the Tuesday when his aunt accompanied them. Witness and his father leturnod to Sydney on the Wednesday afternoon ; Mis Corston came down with other friends to see then: ofF; next saw Mrs Corston when she came to Sydney to bo married to his father ; Mrs Corston kissed him at the hotel, and said she hoped she would make a good mother for him ; his father simply went to New Zealand for a change ; nc\ or heard of Mrs Corston till lie saw her in New Zealand; remembered Mrs Corston going away to New Zealand ; when «-he returned there was a quarrel, but he did not notice What was said; she returned on a Sunday afternoon, and all the following week there was a general row ; on the Wednesday night and the following Sunday night she slept away ; from the time of her return witness and his father occupied the same bedroom, and Mis Coreton occupied another bedroom. By Mr Roberts : Belie\ ed that after Mis Corston's return his father went out of the loom for a time during the visit to Mrs Corston in Now Zealand on the first occasion during that time his father was with Mrs Coiston; knew that his father sent money to Mrs Corston to bring her to Sydney ; would swear that hie. father slept apart from Mrs Corston every night after her return from New Zealand.-' > Sarah Langford said that accused was her brother. Had known Mrs Cor&ton in Auckland some 20 years ago. At this stage the case was adjourned till Tuesday afternoon. The case was resumed on Tue&day. Mrp '/Cqr&t'o.n * was .the Jirsb witness , 'examined' by Mr" Wallace*,* and liaving given evidence regarding a number of telegrams and letters, she wont on to j?ay that when Hibble told her of the rumour of Corston haying been killed, he spoke of him as "Brown;"' Ilibble subsequently alluded to Corston as "Peter. ' Mr Wallace : Hibble will make a state-

ment. Mr Addison : He has made a statement. He said, "I am not guilty; 1 have witnesses to call." I have already cautioned him and he has made his reply. Mr Hibble was anoul to road a long

wiittcn statement, when Mr Roberts said : The time for him to have made a statement, v, a& when he was called upon, and after the usual caution was administered. Mr Addison : He can make no statement until I give him a caution. lam not going to give the caution twice. Mr Wallace : Well, I submit it a monstrous injustice to the man and an absolute denial of a fair hearing to him. Counsel having spoken. Mr Addison said : I consider from the evidence adduced,' if there is nob a' strong ca&e, there'fs afc'iM eventg-a propable presumption of guilt in thib matter. This being so, I consider it my duty to commit. The accused was then committed to Lake his trial at the Court of Quarter Sessions, commencing on the 4th instant. Bail was allowed, himself in £100, and two sureties of £50 each.