The Sun.
London, England, 1869-10-11 00:00:00

BIGAMY AND PERJURE

An extraordinary instance of hard swearing to shield a
prisoner has occurred at the Marylebone Police-court. Percy
Robinson, also known by a number of aliases, was brought
up before Mr. D'Eyncourt, charged with feloniously inter-
marrying with Laura Bird, in the parish of St. John's,
Hampstead, on the ith of February, 1862 ; also further
charged with marrying Mary Elizabeth Beydell Boy-es, in
the parish of St. Giles's, on the 16th of June, 1862, his
wife, Eliza Robinson, being then and still alive. On the
third wife being called for, it was Stated that she had gone
to the Continent, to avoid giving evidence. Her mother,
however, was present, and distinctly and emphatically'
denied that the prisoner was her son-in-law. The fol
lowing examination took place, conducted by the Bench :
Mr. D'Eyncourt When did you see your son-in-law and
your daughter last ?—Witness Ten days ago.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : Now be careful. Let me particularly
caution you as to what you say ; for if it should turn out
not to be true what you say you render yourself liable to
be prosecuted for perjury. Now I ask you, and consider
before you answer, have you seen your son-in-law since
the prisoner has been in custody ?—Witness : Yes.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : Where is he now ?—Witness : On the
Continent.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : How do you know that he is on tne
Continent 7—Witness : Because I have received a letter
from my daughter.

Mr. D'Eyncourt again cautioned her, and asked her if
she had :leen the person who she said was her daughter's
husband since the prisoner was in custody ?—Witness : I
have.

Mr. D'Eyncourt: Where : In town.
Mr. D'Eynccurt :. Since this man has Leen in custody?
Witness : Yes.

fraying refused to • say where her daughter was, or to
produce the letter stated to have been received from her,
the witness was again pressed Ly the magistrate as to the
identity cf. the prisoner, but though she admitted that she
had visited him, she positively denied that he was her
daughter's husband.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : Where did ycur daughter live with her
husband P—Witness : Several places.
Mr. D'Eyncourt : Name one.—Witness : At No. 22,
Artesian-road, Bayswater. That was about nine months

ago.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : 'Where after that ?—Witness : 0, we
have travelled about. I have been on the Continent with
my daughter and her husband.

Mr. D'Eyneourt : Was that husband the prisoner ?
Witness : No.

Mr. D'Eyncourt: By what name did you know the pri-
soner when you used to visit him ?—Witness always knew
him by the name of Mr. Pepper.
Mr. D'Eyncourt : How did you become acquainted with
the prisoner ?—Witness: We became acquainted through
Mr. Percy Robinson.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : Then there is another Percy Robinson
Desides the prisoner ?—Witness : I don't know the prisoner
as Percy Robinson.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : I am afraid that what you have been
saying is all untrue.

The solicitor who appeared to prosecute also examined
the witness as follows :

Mr. Froggat: Has not your son-in-law been in custody?
—Witness : I shall not answer such a question.
Mr. Froggat :0, yes, you will. Was he nct in custody
at Aylesbury in the name of Wade ?—Witness : That has
no bearing upon this case.

Mr. Froggat :0, we shall see about that. I ask you
again, was he not in custody there ? Witness : Since you
press me, he was.

Mr. Froggat : What was he charged with ?—Witness :
decline to answer.

Mr. Froggat : Was it not for obtaining money under
false pretences?—Witness : I decline to answer.
Mr. Froggatt : I see by the report. of the case in the
country paper that you gave evidence. Is the prisoner
your son-in-law?—Witness : I said I was mother-in-law to
a man named Wade. I there swore that Wade was my

A gentleman from Marlow said prisoner was the same
person who gave him a bad cheque.

Mr. Boyes : I said that the prisoner was not my son-in-
law, but something like him. It wks my son Lin-law who
was prosecuted. The prisoner is nob-liko the man.
Mr. Froggat asked that witness be committed for con-
tempt of court.

Mr. D'Eyncourt said he would consider, and eventually
gave Mrs. Boyes a quarter of an hour to reflect whether she
would adhere to her evidence. She then retired into a
private room with Mr. Clarke, and in about ten minutes
Mr. Clarke returned, and saidby his advice she would with-
draw all her evidence given that day.
Mr. D'Eyncourt (to Mrs Boyes) : Do you adhere to your
evidence ?—Mrs. Boyes : I wish to withdraw all that I said
from the first to the last.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : Is the prisoner the man who married
your daughter ?—Witness : He is.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : Is the prisoner the man who was
in custody at Aylesbury?-IViness (after hesitating/ :
He is.

Mr. D'Eyncourt : Do you know the prisoner ?—Wit-
ness: I do.

Mr. D'Eyncourt: Is he the SaMb person who was married
to your daughter'?—Witness : He is.
Mr. D'Eyncourt committed tho prisoner for trial, but
formally remanded him till Thursday.

LIFE ASSURANCE IN MASSACIIUSSETTS.—Lifo
assurance is reported t) be flourishing in Massachussetts,
where 59 companies, representing $150,000,000 of insurance
aro transacting business. Since 1833 the number of com-
panies had increased from 14 to 56 at tho beginning of
1359; the number of policies outstanding from 40,000 to
more than half a million; the amount insured fron
$117,000,000, in round numbers to $1,567,000,000; the
annual income from $5,000,000 to $77,000,000; and the
computed premium reserve from $11,000,000 to more than
$140,000,000.

A COLLIERY ON FIRE NEAR .WlGAN.—ShOrily
after four o'clock cn Saturday morning it was discovered
that -a fire had broken out in- the yard mine of the
Walthew House Colliery, the property of Messrs. W. if
Brancker and. Company, and situated in the township of
Orrell, a- short distanco from Wigan. Fortunately th
colliers had not descended the pits to begin their daily
work, so no loss of human life has to be recorded, but
thero is littlo doubt that fourteen horses and Cases must
havo been auffocActi by the oacate from tits? burning
ccal