Star.
London, England, 1824-07-29 00:00:00

BERKSHIRE ASSIZES, JULY 27.

John Simmons, aged 10 years, a man of respectable
appearance, and Sarah Grace Simmons alias Sarah Styles,
his wife, were put to the bar, to plead to indictments,
charging them with bigamy. They pleaded Not Gui/ty.
The prisoners were both prosecuted by the Clerk to the
Magistrates of Newbury.
John Simmons was first put upon his trial. Mr. S EP-
PiRD, oii the part of the prosecution, stated the case to
the Jury. He characterised the offence of which the
prisoners stood charged, as one of an extraordinary
description. It would appear that they were married in
August, 1806, in London, and after a cohabitation of
six months, they separated : after living separate
from each other for some time, they gave each other a
kind of letter of license to marry again, if their inclini-1
dons led them to do so. In the year 1812, the female
prisoner married a man named Brain, at St. Pancras
Church, London; and in 1813 the male prisoner mar-
ried a young woman named Sarah Challis, at Newbury.
He (Mr. Shepperd) should put in certificates of the
marriages, and call witnesses to identify the parties.
William Rogers Pearse, Vestry Clerk of Newbury,
produced the certificate of marriageof the prisoner John
Simmons, and Sarah Grace Styles, at St. Clement
Danes Church, London, in August,lBo6.
Sarah Broughton, the sister of the female prison's;
stated, that in 1806, Simmons courted her sister • he I.
sited her at witness's house, in Princes-street, 1:ondog
and they left there to be married ; she saw them after.
wards living together as man and wife, at apartmegts
which they occupied.
Cross-examined by Mr. Cuawooo—Her sister, prior to her mar-
riage with John Simmons' was an honest, sober, industrious, vir-
tuous woman; sirs lived with him six months at Newbury before
she left him, and then returned to London; she afterwards became
acquainted with a man named Brain, and lived with him six months,
and then he turned her off.
Mr. Pearse again called—He was present at the Justice-room)
at Newbury, when John Si-imons was examined on a charge of bi-
gamy. The female prisoner produced a certificate of her marriage
with him, and he said " it is true, I was married to her, she is my
wife, and the certificate is quite correct." lie also said, "I do not
attempt to deny that I was married to Sally Challis." Witness pro-
duced the certificate of the marriage of John Simmons and Sally
Challis, at Newbury Church, on the 24th of May, 1815.
Cross-examined—The prisoner bore a respectable character from
his youth.
John Pike sworn—He was present at the marriage of John Sim-
mons and Sally Challis, at Newbury Church, in 1813
Mr. Pearse re-examined by the Jtmoa—Sally Challis is alive,
and is a very respectable young woman.—The Jury found the pri-
soner Guilty.
Mr. Justice PA ILX —I shall not pass sentence till the wifely tried.
Sarah Grace Simmons was then put on her trial.
William Rogers Pearse produced two certificates,
which he said were given to him by the prisoner, on her
making application at the Justice-room, at Newbury,
against her husband, for refusing to receive her as his
wife. The prisoner cannot read. One of the certifi-
cates was of her marriage with John Simmons, in 1806,
at St. Clement Danes Church ; the other was a certifi-
cate of her marriage with William Brain, at St. Pan-
cras Church, 1812.
Mr. Justice PA R¢.—Then it appears she was married
a second time before her husband ; she intermarried
with Brain in 1812, and he with Challis in 1819.
Mr. Millet, a bookbinder, in Craven-buildings, Lon-
don, proved the marriage of the prisoner, who passed
as a spinster, with William Brain, in 1813; he was present
at the marriage, at St. Pancras Church, London.
Sarah Broughton was again examined, and, on cross-
examination, it was elicited that the prisoner had had
an illegitimate child before her marriage with Simmons.;
Mr. Justice PA alt asked her how she dared to com- I
mit perjury, by swearing that the prisoner, before her
marriage with Simmons, was an honest and virtuous
woman ? and threatened to commit her.—The female
prisoner here admitted her guilt, and said that Sim-
mons deserted her; he sent her to London, with a child
to take care of, with only 7s. in her pocket ; she became
acquainted with William Brain, who on being informed
of her marriage, wrote to Simmons for his consent to
marry her, and Simmons sent a letter (she produced it),
signed by the Overseer, giving her authority to get
married again. The letter was handed to the Judge,
but he refused to look at it, and told the prisoner that
she must know such a document could not release her
from her previous marriage. The Jury found her Guilty.
Mr. Justice PARK said it was a very unusual occur-
rence for a man and his wife to be tried for bigamy.—
'The conduct of the male prisoner, in seducing a respect-
able young woman, was very base indeed, and the fe-
male prisoner appeared a very guilty stoman. The do-
cument put in by the female, which she said had in-
Iduced her to marry again, was the most absurd &cu.
Ilwent be ever saw; it was said to be signed by the Over-
seer of the Parish ; whether it was or not he did not pre-
tend to know, but he knew it was •no etcute for the
crime the parties had committed.—The prisoners were
sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment in the House
of Correction, and to be kept to hard labour.
Shelton and Langan last night agreed, at Jack Randall's, the
Hole-in-the-Wall. Chancery-lane, to fight any day in October for
£BOO a side. Five sovereigns each were deposited, and .C 95 to be
wads good to-Morrow night.
A return match of cricket war-played at Stilebridge, near Mar-
den, between the Gentlemen of the Deb of that plate, and those of
Pessendan Heath, which was won by the former by one hand in.
ninp and six runs.