A MODERN BLUEBEARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2244, 22 August 1891, Page 4

A MODERN BLUEBEARD.

A man named Rhineheart, says an American contemporary, has been indicted in the Police Court of Sydney, for cruelty of an extraordinary and revolting diafacter. The prisoner, who is fifty-five years of age, married at 27 Marie Kinnon, whom ho forced to work in the fields, and in other respects treated with great harshness. He had three children by her, and when she (bed, shortly .after the birth of the third child, . within the same month, married Christine Pulfer, aged twenty- eight. He treated his second wife with the same cruelty. At the end „of two years she died,haying given birth to three children. / Rhineheart next married Christina Schlectig, aged twenty, who was bo fortunate as to die at the end of a year, and the widower espoused the deceased wife’s sister. She, being of stout build,, and having a good constitution, endured ’K:K"''treatmißhf for'keyin' years, although she was often yoked by her husband to a plough in a half-naked condition. She bore her husband five children and died within a Wfc’pk after the birth of the fifth. 'She Ijadbercn hoeing corii the entire day ‘preceding the birth of this child. Rhineheart then married a widow named Tolane, aged forty. ' He used to let her out to neighbours, for wopd-chopping. s ’After four yeats of ‘ wedded life to the ftcompaniment of kicks and blows she died, leaving four babes. Rhineheart »3Xt married Elizabeth Behohtel, a upinster of forty, who died after one year and eleven nonths, leaving two babes, and Bhineherrt then married his seventh wife, whom he kept half-naked, after, branding her with a red-hot iron, and whom he horsewhipped because she refused to work. She bore him one child and then ran away, returning to her people, who now threaten to lynch Rhineheart when he " "piifeef ott of gdifi.

The first mention in our annals of pensions or annuities occurs in 15x2, when £29 was given to a lady of the Court for services done, and in 1536 £6 13s 4d for tit# * gontlm/iaan,