The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-29 00:00:00

MARRIED OR NOT MARRIED?

Yesterday afternoon the following rather curious case
was heard at the Marlborough-street Police-court. It was
a summons for bastardy arrears.

Mr. Lewis, jun., of Ely-place, appeared for the-defendant,
a respectable looking youlig man, named Bearon, and on
the case being called on said his client had no wish to
shrink from paying for the support of the children, but he
was anxious that they should be properly brought zip,
which, if what he had heard was true, was not likely to be
the case.

Mary Heard, the complainant, said she was still a single
woman. She could not produce the orders made in her
favour, as she had given them to a friend in St. Giles's
workhouse five years ago. The orders were made eight
years ago, and the defendant, for a long time, paid ss. a
week for the two children.

Mr. Tyrwhitt said he could do nothing till the orders
produced. When did she receive any money last ?
Complainant said seven weeks ago.
Mr. Lewis then proceeded to ask the complainant a
few questions, and the following were her answers. lam
not married. lam cohabiting with a person named Rich.
I can swear I have never been in a chapel with him. At
a church at Petersburgh-place, Notting-hill, the banns
were published last June or July. Rich put them up, but
we were not married. We were to have been that day three
weeks. We did go to the church once after, but we got
tipsy and didn't get married, and I have never got a paper
from the church. We went to the gin shop and got tipsy,
and the minister told us we were tipsy, and he would not
marry us. We went into the vestry-room, but no book was
presented to us. The minister told us to come the next day
but we didn't go. A young mail and a young woman were
with us, and we all went into the vestry by the minister's
direction.

Mr. Lewis said it was almost a Yelverton marriage.
Complainant continued—The minister told us to get an
emetic for the man, and the only emetic we got was more
gin. (Laughter.) I went last Sunday to St. Patrick's
Chapel, and of course there was somebody with me—there
was the congregation. (Laughter.) I never got any paper
from any other church, and never got any ring.
Mr. Tyrwhitt—Nor the church key.
Mr. Lewis said he was credibly informed that complainant,
was married to the man Rich.

A daughter of complainant's said she remembered her
mother going out to get married.
John Crockett, a porter in Covent-garden Market, said
he remembered going to a church in Bayswater, but he
could not remember where. It was two months ago—in
the winter (the complainant said in June or July). He
went with the complainant and Rich. He went to give
the man away. (Loud laughter.) After going into the
church they went into a room and saw the clergyman there.
What they went into the room for was to be married. There
were some books there, but no one signed them.
By Mr. Lewis—Don't :know the reason they were not
married. Believed the man " had the drop taken" was the
reason. The clergyman spoke to them, but he had no idea
what he said. All came away together and went into a
public-house opposite St. Giles's !Church, and there had
something to drink, and complainant went home.
• _

Mr. Tyrwhitt—lt is common with these people when they
get drunk not to go to the church again.
The case was then adjourned that evidence might, if
possible, be produced of the complainant's marriage.