Morning herald., 1838-08-24
NO. ss.
From our Evening Editjop.l

EXTRAORDINARY AND DOUBLE CHARGE OF BIcAMY
very singular case Of Grim including charge
OF bgamy was Drought fer hearing yesterday after
noon. before Alderman Augustus d. Tarr. The par
ties accused were VIM. Wood and Mary G. Bicknell,
aud the gravaman Of the charge against them the
part of the Commonwealth consisted Of their having
been married the Goth Of July last the having
husband, and the other wife. living the time. We
regret learn that Wood had been considered
highly respectable and moral man. Mary c. Bicknell
was the wife of Mr.. John Bickaen the Of a ship
now lying at Baltimore
Mrs Margaret Wood, the legal wife of the male de-
fendant, appeared witness, and deposed that she
had been married TO him years previous to the
29.h Of July She stated that Mrs. Bicknell in the ab
Of her husband boarded the same house with
herself and Mr. Woed and that she had at times OBJ
served what she considered too close and familiar an
intimacy between them. This lady gave her evidence
in very clear and feeling manner. She neither up.
braided her faithless husband did she in any way
insult the woman who had deeply injured her. On
the contrary she exhibited much forbearance through
out and said Notwithstanding all that had taken place
she would again receive her husband home II he would
return to his duty and her affections
The Rev. T. G. Allen, of the Protestant Episcopal
Church, examined, and testified that the par
ties accused duly married by him on the 2Sth OF
July last, and certificates to that effect were Produced
Before the ceremony was concluded, however, II ap-
peared from this gentemans testimony, that some-
what singular incident occUrred. Alter warning the
defendants in the usual manner of the solemn of
the contract they about to engage in, and its bind
ing character both according the laws Of the lsnd
ana the laws OF God he observed that Mary u. blck-
nell gazed him in expressive and rather agitsted
manner Onlooking at her atten.vely he remembered
having knewn her when child, and Ae said-"Why
Mary, is that you2 Dses your mo ner know that you
are going to be married?'
She replied, MY mother kr.ew it would take place,
bat did not expectryet"
Are you single Y
Yes! haze been widow these MONTHS
They We're then married
According TO the evidence of Anne Macomb and Ju
dith Thompson it further appeared they proceeded
TO hepsingon, where they took room, and said they
had been man and wife for four years.
We are informed, in addition 10 the above testimony
that Wood had been suspected before Of an improper
intimacy with Mrs Bcknell, and that proceedings were
twice instituted against him in his church. The evi
dencc however, not sufficiently strong TO convic
him.
The result Of the examination before the Alderman
that both the defendants held TO bail in $500
the charges of adultery and bgaRy to be pre-
ferred sgainst them the Court Of Criminal Sss
4 SONS.
This has excited intense interest in the Disirc
of Southwark: and during the examination large con
course of assembled in frost of the Aldermen
Office, who expressed their dsaPprobaton Of the con
ductof the accused in very gentle terms-PAiiadel
4 phia Inqniyer