FORGING A CONSENT TO A MARRIAGE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2583, 18 April 1877, Page 3

FORGING A CONSENT TO A MARRIAGE.

At the Collingwood Police Court on Tuesday, Tprnpleton, P.M.;, presiding, a youth named' Ebenezer Griffiths, aged 18, Teas.charged with forging the name of h^mothet, Sarah Griffiths, to a consent to, a marriage. Anelderly man named William H. Stevens was charged with willingly -aiding and abetting the other prisoner in ottering the forgery. Dr DobsoH conducted the prosecution, and the prisoners were defended respectively :by Messrs Gillott and Elkins. Adam Anderson, the registrar of births, deaths, and marriages,l for the Fitzroy district, stated that Griffiths .and the wife of the other prisoner came to his office on the 7th February, last, and informed him that Griffiths desired to marry Mrs Stevens's daughter.; The fact that both parties were minors was not concealed, but they stated that the girl was enceinte, and that Griffiths wished to marry her at once to avoid dis? grace. When asked where his parents re-' sided, Griffiths said that his father v» as then at Echuca. The registrar gave him a form of consent to-marriage to forward to his father for his signature, and he further told him that the mother's consent-would- do only,in' the- event*of his father not residing .in the colony. A few days afterwards Grffiths returned, .and stated that his father had left Echuca, and that he did not know where he had gone to. On the 13th February thetwo prisoners, together with Mrs Stevens and her daughter, t attended at the registrar's office to have the marriage -celebrated. The registrar; : told Griffiths that he could riot marry them without his mother's consent. Griffiths and Stevens then went away, and returned iri about half an hour, and handed Mr Anderson the consent, which Griffiths stated has been filled up by his mother. The registrar then .performed the marriage ceremony. Sarah, Griffiths de?. posed that the prisoner, Ebenezer Griffith?, was her son, and was born on the 3Cth September, 1859. She did not sign the consent to the marriage, nor did she authorise any person to attach her' signature to it. .: In cross-examination, she stated that her husband was at Howiy long, which, she believed was in Victoria. She had received a letter from him that morning. Constable Key stated that when he served.the summons on Griffiths the latter denied, that he had forged his mother's name. When Stevens was served with: the sumrnonshe said he knew nothing abeut the affair. Mr .Gillott contended that no case had.-been made out against Griffiths! but the Bench held.differently, and committed him for trial at the next Central Criminal Sittings. Bail was allowed, one surety of £50, and the prisoner in £50. . t As there was hot sufficient evidence to support, the charge against Stevens, he was discharged. Mr Templeton impressed upon the registrar the necessity of exercising extreme caution in reference to the.marriage of minors.when the father's consent could not be obtained.—Australasian, March 31.