THE SECOND WIFE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 480, 14 June 1890, Page 4

THE SECOND WIFE.

Mary Elizabeth Cameron (the sec.nd wife) stated she was living with i.er parents at St. Louis, U.S.A., in October, 1888, and there met accused at her father's house. Accused was then preaching, nut told her he was also a doctor of medi ine. When they became engaged lie gave her a Bible and shortly after he went to San Francisco, and they corresponded. The letters she received had been destroyed ; there were two or three dozen nitogei her. While he was away witness vu ute to L'rofessor Drummond, who accused said was a friend of his, and in consequence of w at she heard taxed accused when ho retu nod to St. Louis on March 19 with having a wife already. He said ho had beui married, bub that his wife had died a happy death in England. They were married at lier father’s house on May 8, 1889, by the Rev. Dr. Adams (of Cobden-hill Congregational Church). Witness produced certified copies of the marriage license and certificate. They wont to New York after the wedding, and in every respect the accused’s conduct was everything but pleasant during the trip. She lived with accused six months. She left him last November on account of his cruelty and next saw him in Sydney. She produced a copy of a letter in accused’s handwriting to Professor Drummond threatening to bring an action against him for £I,OOO for a libel said to be contained in a letter written to her mother previous to the marriage. The copy of the letter was in a sealed envelope, which she took with her when she left accused. After the wedding accused said ho had never been married before, bub made the previous statement about being a widower to stop hor investigating, the Drummond story. She produced a letter written by accused to her mother speaking of her “ desertion ” and referring to her as “my wife.” Several other letters from accused addressed to witness were pub in. Mr Gibson contended that there was nob a scintilla of evidence to show that accused married Miss Cameron in accordance with the law of the place in which the alleged marriage had been celebrated. His Honor, in reply, quoted the case the Queen v. Allen, which, he said, decided that point. He held that the marriage had been properly celebrated. AN AMERICAN DIVORCE. Consul G. W. Griffin deposed that he had seen a decree of the District Court of the United States of America dissolving the marriage of prisoner with his first wife, Mary McLeod. Witness was a lawyer by profession. The signature attached to the document was that of Judge Hennessey, whom he knew to be a judge of the District Court of the United States. The document was here read and purported to be a decree of divorce as specified. Alary AlcLeod, recalled, deposed that she had received no notice of divorce proceedings having been taken against her. On January 2nd, this year, she first heard a rumour to that effect during a Police Court investigation, but she did not then believe it. The judge, in summing up, held that the decree purporting to be issued in the United States dissolving the marriage with the first wife was nob v orth the paper it was written upon. At 8.40 p.m. the jury retired to consider their verdict. They returned at 5 minutes to 9 with a verdict of guilty. His Honor said that he would not pass sentence on prisoner then, but, in order that he might have an opportunity of arguing certain points before the Supreme Court, would remand him till June 16th.

Mr Gibson asked for which was granted, accused in £SOO, and two sureties of £4OO each