The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-06-13 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CABE OF POLYGAMY.

A NKTEERBURY WOMAN COMMUTED FOR

BIGAMY.

At the Conety Pali-court on Wednesday, before
J. M. P. bd•ntagu, Esq., • well-dressed woman, about
36 years of age, was brought up in custody on &charge
of feloniously marrying William Locker, of Obertsey,
Surrey, knowing her hastetud, George Bliss, to be
alive.

M. J. H. Tolliffe, of Crawkerne, appeared to
prosecute, inatrocteci by Mr. Locker.
The Hall was crowded during the hearing.
Mr. J dliffe having opened the cam the following
adenoma/ were then called :
Charles Tistard, gardener, living at Crewiterne, said
for a good many years he lived in the pariah of Nether-
bury as a gardener. George Biles was an tindsr-
miller at Mr. Tucker's 1b... Sarah (Wham (Prisoner)
be knew when he was there. In 1865 he was present
at church with George Mee and Sarah Gilliam, the
prieoner. He was not p•esent at any publlostku of
beans. Baas asked him if he would iro to
church with to give them away. The certificate
(Produced) was correct. The other witness—Mary
Thoard—lieed at Strode. The Rev. Mr. Chown per-
formed the imeigoony. After marriage,they lived at
Yonder,/ (near here) for some time. There was issue
of the marriage, he believed, three children. Witness
was gone from the place when Bliss went away.
John Watts, labourer, Langton, saki ha knew the
prisoner. He became acquainted with her first—he
rather forgot whm. He was in the 13th Regiment of
Foot. and left it in 1871, and some time after became
acquainted with pail 'oar at Beaminster. All., a
lapse of time be went to Wales with her for between
four and five years. He and prisoner were merried
I. Wales at Bristrs Church, and he believed the
elergyman's name was Ryan.. Witness knew he was
the offirdating minister of that Month. The marriage
was as August 12th, 1877. They lived in Wales some
time before they were married.
Mr. Jollier here said this event (with Watts) was
not °barged against prisoner, but was only an event in
the oese
Adliar some time witages sod prisoner returned to
Beembebwr, where the, remained elm* three or four
molis, wish a &Nebula %ides glass, pelmet

left without any notice, and be had not seen hi, fres
thee hour to this. Then wee • child.. Intl tiliboilL
Witness eons knew George Mae. Prisoner was the
person he marlied..

Prison.,: H. roe pitiful, sir, kicked my
thumb out of joint, because he wails other company.
' William Locker, general dealer, of Cheraw, Surrey,said : He formerly kept the "corner shop "of this
Itown (Bridport.) He met prisoner in Salhbary, when
,! elm was living two mile' from the city with • farmer
!named Blake. Finn became soinainted about July
18th, 1800, and also met her at Southampton, and on
9th August they got married—the same year at All
Saints' Church, corner of Bast-street, Southampton,
by the Rev. A. Bradley. The marriage certificate is
the one (produoed). Witness had procured the other
two ollicates now put in. Pi isocer married witaese
In the name of Sarah t.llhaan, spinster. After marriage
they went to Ramsgate, Bournemouth, fele of Wight,
-totithampton—(banghter)—and then settled down at
Kilburn, in London. Witness had loom since the
marriage, but prisoner only laughed at him.
Prisoner "That's another lie."
Witness then eent Jur away to Netherbury, and
paid her tare. He did not know of her previous
marriage until over two months atter they were
married. In oonsena nos of • quarrel, it came out
that his wife had born married to amen named Watts,
and afterwards it came out that George Blies, her
former husband, had gone away, and the children put
into Stoke (nest Beansinster) Union.
Thomas Biles, of Netherbury, said be knew the
prisoner, and he had • son, George Biles, who married
prisoner, and lived with him for year• They had
three children, and they wrre put into the union at
Burninater. One of the children was 'topping with
wetness, one in London, mil one at the Greyhound,
Bearniester. Witnese's son went to America after liv-
ing about 12 in inths with prisoner before the
@swaths°. His son had been gone to America about
ten years. A letter (prainctd) be had received from
his son, and knew it wee his writing; he had not kept
his melons letters. The numrs of the children were
Richard, Elisabeth and r+arnuel Biles.
Prisoner: Have I not applied to you to know if you
had heard hoot your •ori
Whore. : No, and the Gum. Hans of the Union never
asked me if I bad heard from my son,
Prisoner: I got no letter from him.
Mr. Jolliet*: No, you didn't want to. (Laughter.)
Priioner : That's all you know about it, Mr.
Of course, I'll examse pos. (Laughter.)
Mrs. Ann Biles, wife of lad witness, said her eon
went to America about 10 or 11 years ago. He (her
son) did not work at Netherbary after be and his wife
were parted. Tee children were with the mother until
she left, and, as time was no support for them, they
were put Jots the Union. Wituem often saw the
children in the Coiou. Once now and then witness
had received letters from her son, and had oommuni•
cited with the children. The Guardians never asked
witness where her son was.

--
Jane Bush Bliss said ehe was the sister of Gone
Biles. Letters oasis* from hint occasionally. The lotus
(orockoed) wee the last remised from him, sad
addrewied as all the others wore.

Prlsou.r warn her. hauded the letter it her r=t
end .ho di her head doubtfully. At length she ex
her opinion that "that WWI not George Miss' writing;
if It was he had improved very much.
Mr. Jolliffe : You know sometimes people go abroad
to improve.
Prisoner: Yr, I know all about that. Mr. J
and sometimes they get other folks abroad to write
their lettere.

DM.frig a—discussion which took place, relative to the
certificates, sad of the time elapsing between the date
of the find marriage owsmony and that of the mooed,
the dates of the certificates; weirs given as follows in
their order above-msoti .ned :—Jan. lfith, '65; Awed
12th, 77; and August 9th,
PrilOOV was now formally charmed with
having married Mr. Looker, knowing George
her husband, to he alive.
. . . .

After the ;mai caution, prisoner made the following
statement :—" I did not know my husband was alive
when I married prosecutor. I made him acquainted
with the fact that I waii married before."

Being asked if aim bad any 'Mamma, prisoner said
she only had her father, who was not present.
After consideration, the magistrate amid be could
not see from the evidence that prisoner had knowledge
of her first husband's existence, after seven years, and
perhaps be had better grant a remand for farther
evidence.

-.A.-C—triie point Mr. Join' made Nome quotations,
when Mr. Looker asked to give additional ()victims.
. . . _ .

This being granted, prose:clot deposed :—Prisoner
made koown to me that she had heard from the mis-
tress of the Post-office at Netherbury, that letters had
been received from George Saes in October, 'BO.
Prisoner That's anothw lie you've hatched up.
(Laughter.)
Prssecutor continuing: In conversation with me
she maid her husband wee alive at the time we were
married.

-I"r:fanner : I acknowledged myself • married woman,
but I did not tell you, Lo-ker, that I knew Bass wee
Prosecutor denied this.
The Magistrste then decided to send the cue for
trial at the ensning Assizes. Prisoner would be
admitted to ball, provided she herself became security
for £4O, and found two bondsmen in the sum of £3O
each.

Prisoner wag removed k custody, and to avoid the
rash In the ball, awl around its dows,she was (*.Wonted
to the station by the rear exit. A large crowd of
person. followed priemer to the station. Prisoner
who appeared very self-possessed, app ared to be on
very good terms with herself during the hearing,
which lasted about Igo sad a haU henna