The New York herald., 1871-02-17
MATRIMONIAL MUDDLE.
Extraordinary Case Of Bigamy in the Court
Of General Sessions.
INTERESTING DlVELOPMzNTs.
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was crowded 10 excess, III anticipation OF the trial
Of the Gwynne bigamy case. 1t was understood
that some extraordinary revelations or domestic in
felicity would be made, ana those VINO take an in.
terest in such disclosures had ample material with
which TO satisfy their sensaton-loving appetites.
Recorder Hackett presided on the bench
Tie defendant. ]. stewart Gwynne, had been ad-
itted to bail after his commltal for trial by Judge
Coulter, OF the Yorkye Police Court, and when
his name was called by the Clerk OF the Gen.
eral Sessions Court ha Of once took his seat
beside his counsel, ,sl ". +. Howe. he is
man rather far afa I'd in years, his hair
and beard being quite y. lie is distinguished.
looking and was mos; 1ashionapiJ attlred, boasng
diamond shirt studs and rings. During the trial he
appeared to be extremely nervous. He is naturally
PALE but at certain portions of the evidence against
him his face blanched perfectly white ana he be-
trayed the most extraordinary degree Of nervous
ness
The first witness examined was the alleged first
wife OF the defendant Anna Maria Cwynne.
Previous to her examination Mr. Alger.
non Sullivan, the Assistant District Attorney,
briefly stated the facts or the case to
the jury, which were embodied in the testimony OF
the witness She was most fasbionabiy attlred, and
during her examination piled her fan most vigor.
ousiy, she must have been OF very prepossessng
appearance when young, bat she has since degene-
rated into STAT, fair and iorty.n AT intervals she
became
DEEPLY AFFECTED,
though IL was easy to see, from the manner IN
which she replied to the opposite counsel and from
a lew soliloquies which she INDUCED In IN stage
whispers that she at present entertalns any thing
but lively respect for the man whom she claims as
her lord and master. During the examination she
occasionally eyed him with
MOST CONTEarTUous STARE,
which he returned, but not with the same vgor or
reply the questions OF the Assistant District
Attorney she stated that she was married Oh the
29th Of August, 1850; that she was eight years in
tins city, previous TO which she resided in the
Try, on the Hudson. While III the city they lived at
her in Boston in the year 1885. In which city she
came to live with him as his housekeepsr in the year
1899. she % Was she sald married at the age Of six.
between them and she was left alone at ali early
age she deposed that she was married to defendant
in 1850 at No. 10 Hubert street, the residence OF the
late Bishop wainwright, who, she believed. was thena
minister at Trinity church. the son and daughter
OF Dr. wainwright were witnesses to that marriage.
The marriage TOOK place in the evening. She had q
CERTIFICATE or THAT MARRIAGE,
with the signature or the Bishop and the witnesses
attached The Bishop himself handed 1t TO her. Her
maiden name, she said was Greayes, and she mad
before that marriage took place. After the marriage
they returned TO the house IN which they resided
previously IN Twenty street the District At
1850 snc mad cohabited with Dr. Gwynne, and that
several children were born during that period. lie
did not, however, al!ude TO that fact IN his eXaina
ton. she said that in 1889 he tod her that she was
LAWFUL WIFE
by the la " OF the State Of New York. ana gave her
certificate purporling to be from lawyer declaring
them man and wife. This document was produced
was us signed James l. Brady" Afterwards in 1850.
to quiet her scruples they went to Hubert street ana
got married by Bishop Wainwright
IN cross-eXanlinat.on the witness stated she
didn't know where Merifeld was; she didn't know
anything about him she was married 10 him IN Bog
ton when she was quite young; didn't remember
when; only lived vita him few months he was
only a Moor ynon Qnh
BECAUSE HE WAS DRuNKAHD:
she received letter from him in December, lsss;
time; had seen Dr.. Gwynne before 1860 she
was certain; the Doctor showed her statement III
her former husband had his skull fractured in a
deld; shc couldn't recolect the exact date, though
was reported as having sworn that she believed
that report, yet she couldn't answer now az TO
whether she believed it or not; that account did
not alter her belief that
she thought she never said thai she lelt Mertiied
because he did not pay her board; she him last
In 1887; she lived with him three successive times;
She lived eleven years with DR.. Gwynne. but
SHE REFUSED To ANSWER
any questions regarding the relationship which OK
listed between them previous to the marriage by Dr.
Wainwright. She aisorefused 70 say as TO whether
she had any children during that period 1t was
ruled by Recorder Hnckest that she must answer the
question as 10 whet9er 81 sne nad any ny cnren wren
she had; but she refused TO say whether they were
the children OF Merined.
was that marriage did n0l take place before Dr.
Wainwright. but that she got somebody to personate
DR.. Gwynne on the OCCASION. IN accounting Tor the
fact that the certificate represented them as resd-
ing in Boston she said the Doctor told the Bishop so
the 18th Of July, on which date his marriage with
Miss Anlelja Brown took place.
Here the witness blnrted out,
'sHEs NOT HIS Wife,
she tried, she SAID. to take proceedings long before
she ad n ,ns case case q but se cpaidn. get the
ne never purchased house for her in Seveutleth
street: that house WAS purchased by o Mr. Charles
Burk; he tGwynne) wouldu't
ALLOW HER GO TO CHURCH
FOR sixteen years; he wouldn't, she said, allow her
togo anywhere. tHere several beoks were produced
which Gwynne had given her and in which he had
written her name as his wife: among the rest the
FAMILY BIBLE.
During the production Of these the witness was
Trederica Gwynne, beautiful young girl deposed
that she the daughter OF the last witness: that
DR.. Gwynnc had always treated her mother as his
vile, and that he introduced her In society as such.
!. ;. GWynne, Jr, son Of the first Witness gave
similar testimony.
Having produced testimony to the ract OF The
second marriage having taken place, the case fof
the prosecution closed.
Nj. Howe, before opening his case offered several
technical objections. but they oyerrued, with
the exception OF one, which the Recorder reserved
for to-day.
THE EVIDENCE
said he first became acquainted with Mrs. Merifield
N 1858 or 1889 IN Eosion; ,nat le visited several
ever married to her by Bishop wainwright IN 1850;
ne was married to Miss Brown in July, ana '.Mrs.
MeT1Held" did not make q complaint against him
TIL December 1870. lie cohablted with her bat dld
not consider that legai marriage.
Mr.. Howe read letter written by the defendant
10 the complainant i'll February, 1870, In which he
threatened If she ever. intrIded herself INTO the
studio OF his wife again he would crush her into the
mire nom which he took her az u locomotive
CRUSHEs A skCNE.
Mr.. sullivan cress- examined sthe DOCTOR" and
elcited some stubborn facts some Of which were
tat the Inscriptions in the books and the letters In.
troduced In evidence were written by him 10 Mrs.
in
made by has own hand: and that after his marriage
20 MES Brown he went 90 Indiana and obtained a
divorce from the prosecuting witness.
Eliza Gwynne Ferris on elderly maiden lady, a
principal OF public school, aud the sister OF tho
acoused was called 10 prove the reputation OF Mrs.
Iwynne NO. ~ for truth and yelacity, nnd said
mat she would not believe her under oath. ntuned
out however, on cr05sexalninaaon that the witness
was not very friendly to her
Kew Nil. ClarksOn, who baptiZnd q number OF Dr.