The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-08-14 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF BIGAMY.

Considerable excitement was evinced at Marlborough-
strt et Police-office, on Monday. owing to the notorious
Lola Montez, or Countess of Llandsfehlt, whose marriage
we announced last week with Mr. Heald, son of Mr.
Heald, the late Chancery barrister, being brought up on
a charge of bigamy before Mr. Bingham, the sitting ma-
gistrate. The proceedings were instituted by a maiden
aunt of the infatuated husband, who had been left his
guardian. Lola Montez was accommodated with a seat,
and Mr. Heald was allowed to have a chair beside her.
Their appearance is thus described :
" The lady appeared quite unembarrassed, and smiled several
times as she made remarks to her husband. She was stated
to be twenty-four years cf age on the police-sheet, but has
the look of a woman of at least thirty. She was dressed
in black silk, with close-fitting black velvet jacket, a plain
white straw bonnet trimmed with bine, and a blue veil. In
figure she is rather plump, and of middle height, of pale dark
complexion, the lower part of the features symmetrical, the
upper part not so good, owing to rather prominent cheek-
bones, set off by a pair of unusually large blue eyes, with long
black lashes. tier reputed husband, Mr. Heald, is a tall young
man, of juvenile figure and aspect, with straight hair, and
small light brown downy mustachios and whiskers. The nose
being turned up gives him an air of great simplicity. During
the whole of the proceedings he sat with the Countess's hand
clasped in both of his own, occasionally giving it a fervent
squeeze, and at particular parts of the evidence whispering to
her with the fondest air, and pressing her hands to his lips
with juvenile warmth." _ _

Mr. Clarkson produced witnesses, first, Miss Heald,
who stated that she felt it her duty to prosecute, as
guardian to her nephew, who only came of age last Janu-
ary, and is possessed of property of between £6,000
and £7,000 a year. A certificate was produced from a
clergyman who married, on the 23d of July, 1837, at
Meath, Thomas James, Lieutenant (since Captain), of
the 21st Regiment, E.1.C., to Rosa Anna Gilbert, spin-
ster. They went to India; and Captain Ingram brought
Mrs. James to London in 1841-2, and declared Lola
Montez; to be the same person, though considerably
altered. In December, 1842, a decree of separation was
made in the Consistnry Court of divorce between Mrs.
James and her husband from bed and board, " but that
neither party have power to contract another marriage
during the lifetime of the other." The clerk of St.
George's, Hanover-square, produced the register of the
marriage of George Trafford Heald with Maria Tores de
Landsfeldt on the 19th of July. Police-Sergeant Gray
took " the Countess" into custody at nine o'clock that
morning, as she was about to get into her carriage. He
said—

" I told her she must consider herself in my custody on a
charge of bigamy, she having intermarried with Mr. Heald,
her former husband, Captain James, being alive. The Coun-
tess replied that she had been divorced from Captain James by
act of parliament. The Countess said, I don't know whether
Capt. James is alive or not, and I don't care. I was married in a
wrong name, and it was not a legal marriage. What will the
King say? Lord Brougham was present when a divorce was
granted, and Captain Osborne can prove it.' "
A clerk from the East India-house proved that by the last
return from India, dated June 13th, Captain James was
srill alive and in command of his regiment. This con-
cluded the case for the prosecution. On behalf of " the
Countess," Mr. Bodkin admitted—
" Enough had bean laid before the Court to justify further
inquiry. At the proper time, however, he should be prepared
to show that the marriage with Mr. Heald was a lawful act. It
would seem that the lady had been married when about fifteen
or sixteen years old, and that a divorce had taken place. From
want of sufficient time it was impossible to ascertain whether
the assertion made to the officers was true or not. It was evi-
dent the lady bed a strong impression that a divorce bill had
been obtained in the House of Lords."

Mr. 13inghain, atter a short consultation with Mr. Hard-
wick, said—
`• It is observable in the present case that the person most
immediately interested (a person of full age, and holding a
commission in lier Majesty's service) is not the person to insti-
tute or countenance the prosecution. It is quite compatible
with the evidence now produced that the accused may have
received by the same mail from India a few hours later than
the official return, communicating the death of Captain James
by cholera or other casualty. The law presumes she is inno-
cent till the usual proof of guilt has been brought forward.
Here that proof is wonting, and the magistrate is requested to
act on a presumption of guilt. I feel great reluctance in doing
so, even to the extent of a remand. However, upon the ex-
press admission by the advocate that in his judgment sufficient
ground had been ►aid for further inquiry, and upon his offer
to tied security, I shall venture to order a remand, and to
liberate the prisoner upon finding two sureties in £5OO each,
and herself in £l,OOO for her re-appearance here on a future
day."
Bail was immediately tendered and accepted. The
Countess of Landsfeldt and her husband were allowed to
remain some time in court, in order to elude the gaze of
the crowd which had assembled.

The Times of Friday says :—" We understand from
undoubted authority that immediately on the marriage of
Lieutenant Heald with the Countess of Liandsfeldt
(Lola Montes), the Marquis of Londonderry, colonel of
the 2nd Life Guards, took the roost decisive steps to re-
commend to her majesty that this officer's resignation
of his commission should be insisted on, and that he
should leave the regiment."

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