A PECULIAR CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1137, 21 August 1883, Page 3

A PECULIAR CASE.

A peculiar case of wife desertion was heard at the Melbourne City Police Court on 17th July. A man, somewhat past middle age, named Solomon Charman, was charged with deserting his wife, Mary Charman. He was arrested on warrant the previous day on the information of ihe prosecutrix,^whomet him accidentally in the street after a separation of about 20 years. The prosecutrix deposed that, she was married in Melbourne to the accused in January, 18G3. They then went to Dunedin, and after living there a week or two her husband left, in con,pany with his brother, for the Dunstan goldfii d, The prosecutrix swore aheolutelv that the accused was her husband. In crusa-exfiininatioD she stated that she was engaged as a barmaid by the defendant. at a dancing salo >n on the Gippsland road. He married her after this. When he left her in Dunedin, .she worked as n servant to a Mrs Latimer there. She had frequently made enquiries for the accused, and had caused a warrant to be issued for him in Dunedin After fruitless searching she returned to Melbourne, and then went to Sydn ay. She knew that her. husband was the discoverer of Donelly’s Creek goldfields. His father told her this. She had lived with his father for the last 12 months She saw brother-in-law about three months since, and, on enquiry, was told that the whereabouts of her husband was not known. She was now staying at the Coffee Palace, in Smith street, Collin,gwood. She recognised a young man in Court as her son. She was positive he was her son. He was born in the hospital at Dunedin nine months after her marriage with the defendant. She swore that she had no other children. She had lived with no other man than the defendant. It was not true that she had been married again. The alleged son was then called. He stated that he met his father in the street on Sunday, and recognising him, said, ‘ How are yon, father ? I’m your son. Don’t you know me?’ The defendant replied. ‘ You my son ! How do you know yon are ray son ? I must have better proof about that.’ The defendant would not admit that the witness was his son. and walked away indifferently. The accused said that he had been ill for ten weeks in Canterbury, New Zealand. He wrote to the complainant, but received no answer, He had another wife, and he understood that he could get married again after the lapse of seven years. Ho married nine .years after missing the prosecutrix. At this stage it was stated that the prosecutrix was willing to forego any order if the defendant would agree to an allotment of one half of his property to the son. The Bench made an order for the payment of 12s a week by the defendant to the complainant, also ordering sureties. Counsel having in the meantime consulted in regard to the proposition made, it was announced that the defendant was willing to act in accordance with the suggestion.