The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-12-04 00:00:00

A SINGULAR CASE.

At the Lambeth Police-curt, in London, Edwin George
Baker. a respectable looking man, go, was oh aged, on his
own confession, with interrnaming with Ann Cowen, his
former wile Amelia Sant' being still alive.

This case was remarkable from the circumstance
that an inquest had been held on the body of a Mrs.
Baker, who was identified as the prisoner's wife, and
corns years afterwards the wife made her appearance.
Inspector Peacock, stated that while on dilly at
Kennington-lane station on the 22nd ult., the prisoner
came and said he would give himself up on ft charge of
bigamy. Ile asked him if both wivee weer, living,
and he said they were ; and also that he was married
to the fir-it Amelia Sarah Knapp, at St. Pancras
Chinch, New-road, in 1856, and to the other, Ann
Cowen, nt Trinity Church, Maryleboue, in 1862. He
also said he had lived with his second wife some
years, and then left her, but afterwards joined her
swain, and they were married shortly afterwards.
Witness vant to the aldresees the prisoner gave, and
found the two women, but they both refused to coins
to the court. The prisoner had been drinking when
he gave himself up, and sail he wished it "over am!
settled." Ile was at the time he gave himself up
living vePh his first wife. Tte case was remanded,
and the prisoner was now further examined. The
inspector produced the certificates of both marriages.
Ann Cowen, the ',card wife, stated that she was
married to the prisoner on the 31st of August, 1862, at
Trinity Church. She had no wish to prosecute him
for bigamy. Before she married him she heard that
an infpicit had been held on the body of a woman.
A Mrs. Rodgernount came to htr and Paid. "Are you
keeping company with Edwin Baker ?" and she
ref lied that she was. The woman referred to then
"I hope you will make a better wife than his first
wife was," and she promised to do the beet she cull
for the sake of his child. After the marriage of witness
with the prisoner, about three months, she met Mrs.
Itodg-mount again, and she told her she hail been to
an inquest on a woman found drowned in Duekettlf
Canal, soil she hat recognised the body as Amelia
Sarah Biker, the prison re fir.t wife. The prisoner
went nith her to Mrs. Rodgemount's house, and said
he would pay all the expenses of the funeral, and she
had no doubt that the prisoner believed it was his own

wife on whom the inquest had been htld. After this
mmorrertoo they Were married and the prisoner wore
black. Ile lived with her until live weeks back. The
prisoner then said he would go and live with his first
wife again, and he had been living with her tilt he gave
hiruselt up.
It appeared that the prisoner's first wife, after
several years' absence, was discovered to be alive and
she had come into possession of some property, and the
prisoner had since gone and lived with her as his lawful
wife. caid
Mr. Beeler, who appeared for the a2cused,
there could hens felonious int.ent when the prisoner
believed his first wife was dead. The magistrate said
that perhaps somo further information could be ob-
tained as to the inquest, lie adjourned the case for a
fortnight, and liberated the prisoner on his own re-
cogLizsncee.