The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-04-18 00:00:00

AN EFTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF
BIGAMY.

At the Central Criminal Corot, in London, Eliza-
beth, otherwise Rebecca. Fox, a well-dressed young
woman, surrendered to an indictment charging her
with bigamy. From some rather peculiar eircurn•
stances elicited in evidence the trial as it proceeded
excited much interest.
The prisoner was first married to Mark Fox, a
butcher, at Colchester, on the 21st of June, 1855 her
maiden name being Mallet. In February, Ifird, she
was again married to Joseph Andrew Moore, a ser-
geant in the Royal Artillery, at St. Peter's Roman
Catholic Chapel, Woolwich. In Sep•ember,
about eighteen months after tile second marriage, she
went to Colchester to see if her first husband, whir was
alleged to have ill-treated her very much, was living,
and, finding he was, she returned and told her second
husband that be was. After that Moore and she lived
together "as brother and sister," according to his
account, for about three years, and lie left her alto-
gether in May, 11(56.
The second husband, Moore, a dashing-looking
sergeant, wearing a military cape over his uniform was
subjected to a rigid cross-examination by Mr. Straight,
the object being to show that the sole motive for the
prosecution was his desire to get rid of his wife, if she
was his wife, and to marry again. Beirig asked if he
knew a Mina Fortune' he said he did an • friend or an
acquaintance, but had never prdposed to marry her.
Ile wanted to be at liberty to marry if he wislasl, and
very likely there was some one whom lie would marry
if the prisoner were convicted. If e hail been keeldng
company with a person. He was shown a number of
letters addressed by him to the prisoner after their
separation, which he admitted to be bin handwriting.
These the prisoner's counsel road at length, awl it
appeared from them the witness hail, after they
separated, made a sort of confidante of her in seeking
another wife. In one, speaking of a yoong woman
whom he named, he said 'she was rather deficient in
mental capacity." He went on to say, in effect,
that the prisoner knew he 11,111/ hard to please in
that respect, and he supposed he bei..l but ask
her to assist him, adding a tom Lakin from
Ecclesiantiea that a good wife was a valuable lair.
tion, and would lie given to him that feared the
Lord—to a good man for his good deeds. In a letter
he addressed to the prisoner on tile 20th of April last
he advised her, as it would be the last lie would be
permitted to write to her, " to draw nearer to God,
who was the source of all happiness." In another,
written to her on the Ist of January, he 1181,1, "Grace
is something like health; we cannot appreciate its
value until we lose it." lie recommended her to go
uto service, and said the sin he hail committed on last
boxing.night had made his heart hes.vier than usual.
He added, "I cannot marry until my marriage with
you is annulled, and you said pet a mild render me
any assistance you could to get it annulled and as I
think it ia a duty you owe inn. I will let yoit know in
my next what you can du." Beiliga Homan Ca, lodic,
he said, lie bail got permission to write to her. Asked,
in farther crosa.examivation, if he was not now about
to be married, he said he was riot. " She told sue
lesi9," he said, "abs had Isadi usactied. I wan a
libertine at that time, I acknowledge. She told
nv
her husband had married her iii a false Mane on pur-
pose, and that he was since dead. I was to Protestant
them."
Mr. Straight: Then, because y. .st were 11 Protestant
you were d "libertine ?
Witness : I had wit become d member of the Roman
Catlitslic Church at that time, 11,, until I had reformed
altogether. (A laugh.) He contomeal to say the
prisoner, at her own suggestion, went to Colchester to
ascertain wnether her husband ,das dead or not. She
had married witness in her maiden mime' and after lie
married her he endeavoured to " makeher an honest
woman." He became acquainted last Chrintmastwelves
month with Miss Fortune. "I have been in the habit,"
he continued, taking a book from his pocket, "of keep-
ing • diary."

Mr. Straight: Oh! have you? Let us see 11 11 you
please.
The witness said he should take his counsel's advice
before he did that.
Mr. Grittith.s, for the prosecution, interposed, and
its proditition wai not preened.
Being re-examined, witness said after he married her
be endeavoured to make her a religious woman, but
with very little success. (A laugh.) lie did not know
she was a married woman when be married her. In
' consequence of a strong conviction that thsre wan
something pressing on her conscience which prevented
her becoming relizious he questioned her, and then she
suggested she should go to Colchester and lee if her
husband was dead.
By the Commissioner. -The prisoner was received
into the Roman Catholic Church before her marria‘m
with me, but not very lone. I don't think she
ever went to communion. She went to confession,
and after that I have never got her to go again.
(Laughter.)
John Randall, a detective officer from Woolwich
dock-yard, said he apprehended the prisoner on the
12th of larch on the charge of bigamy. He was than
accompanied by tire last witness, %toore, who gave her
into his custody. She expressed surprise at his
snaking such a charge against her.
Mr. Straight here read the following letter addressed
by Moore to the prisoner, and dated March 11 last, the
evening before her arrest:—

Dear Linie,-1 anal come up to see you on next Thursday
evening at seven o'clock. You need not wad, tea, as I shall
have my tea before f come. I have something to propose
to you which I thu,k you will accede to, as you say that you
are getting tired of Luidon. 1 remain, with kind love.
yours sincerely, ALFRED.
•

- .
Mr. Griffiths, addressing the jury, said the real ques-
thm was whether the prisoner had committed bigamy.
Ater the lapse of seven years the law pits-awned the
tint husband was dead, but in this Case seven years
had not elapsed. If she believed her first husband was
dead when she married Mu- re, why did she marry him
in her maiden name! She would naturally in such a
case have married in her widowed DAMP. That showed
he was taking the sergeant in, and that being so, in
what way had he behaved ill to her?
Mr. Straight made an earnest appeal to the jury on
behalf of the prisoner, and commented in severe terms
upon the conduct of the prosecutor, whose object, he
said, evidently was to get rid of the prisoner by a cons
vietien for bigamy, in order that he might man,/
another woman. lie then contended that the evidence
of such a man was not worthy of credit, and that On re
was nothing to show that the prisoner did not really
' believe that her first husband NVIS dead at the time she
married the prisoner.
The learned eouimis,iner having consumed up, the
jury immediately returned a verdict of Not Guilty.
There wait a burst 14 applause at the result, which
was with difficulty repressed.