CHARGED WITH BIGAMY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 944, 29 April 1882, Page 3

CHARGED WITH BIGAMY.

As briefly mentioned in our telegram’ a day or two ago, a schoolmaster named Frank Pearce Phillip? has been brought •up-at the Rangitikei Resident Magistrate’s Court and remanded' on a charge of bigamy. The Rangitikei Advocate states that until a recent date Phillips was fchoolmaster at South Makirikiri. Whilst there, Miss Hempseed, a girl between 14 and 15 years of age, was one of his pupils. He used to take this young lady and give her special instruction out of school hours. It is further alleged that he there seduced the girl, and the consequence 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 Mr Phillips bad a wife living at Auckland, where she followed the profession of a school teacher. Inquiries were made, with the result that their 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 someone of the deluded girl’s friends. Ultimately, Mr Donald M’Lean, brother-in-law of the girl, laid an information, and tb e police arrested Phillips. We hear (adds the Advocate), but cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statement, that Phillips asserts that whejn he was married in Auckland in 1860, he thought that a wife whom he left behind in England was dead. He subsequently discovered that she had been alive at the time of the Auckland marriage, and hence that marriage was null and void. The wife in England is further alleged to have died before the marriage with Miss Hempseed. If the above were true, of course his .marriage with Miss Hempseed would be lawful, and the charge of bigamy would break down.