The New York herald., 1874-07-23
THE COUGHLAN BIGAMY TRIAL.

Continuation OF the Case in Jersey City.
The Defendant on the Ssand-Leaves
from the Diary of a Fast Young Man.
The trial OF James Coughan, Hoboken con.
tractor, for alleged bigamy, was resumed yester.
DAY in jersey city, Judge Bede and Associate JUS
tices Wiggins and Qualfe on the bench.
Mr. Winfield opened the for the defence,
and said that he would prove that the defendant
was the victim OF a conspiracy. The relations be-
tween him and Willssia Stevens, ne asserted, were
OF mcretriclous character, and to hide this fact
from the world marriage certificate was trumped
up. The woman swore before Recorder Bohn-
stedt, in Hoboken that she was married in 1870,
and she now testiies that the marriage took place
in 1871. lie concluded by calling for verdict Of
acquittal.
WHAT THE DEPENDANT SAYS
James Coughlan then took the stand and testt.
fed as Iollows:-I am twenty-nine years OF age and
have lived in HoboScn all my Lire; first met Wills
sia stevens IN the Otto Cottage Garden daughter
in CourD; there was dance there; 1t was night;
became acquainted with her by walking up and
asking her 10 nave dance; had not been intro
duced TO her; saw her the following Monday
night at the same place with her sister, Mrs. Con.
roy, Pete snyder and others; we danced again:
don't recollect whether l went home with her or
not met her again the following Monday night at
same place and went home with her to West
was naf-past one in the morning when we rot
there she left her sisters and went to live in Mac
dougal street; l paid her board there; ]
often stopped in her room day and
night; furnished her with clothing: the
amount l gave her altogether must have
reached $4,000; we removed from Macdouga to
Fifteenth street and next to HoratiO street; we
kept house In the latter place; remained there till
our separation in December. 1872; was married
the certificate IS is7O; Wissia wanted the certiG.
cate TO show that she was better tnan the rest OF
to Catholic priest in New York to get married; ;
never was married to WiliSsia Stevens; sepa-
rated from her on the terms tnat was going o
get marrled she SAID, "All right" but she wanted
II certain amount OF money; she named $4,000, and
Igave II to her; dad not sign any paper when
gave 1. to her tpapcr pr0ducedl that is not my
! signature; did not see Mary Jane Conroy sign that
paper or any other 20 my recoeclon; the checks
! gave her were signed by the firm OF Cougnlan &
! Caliaghan, and were generally made payable to
bearer on the New YORK County National Bank.
on crosse Xamination District Attorney Garret.
son elicited the following ponts:-rne highest
check ever gave Wil!ssla for $3.50; 4 paid
eyerytnng, , for her: can't say positively how
on contracts but know that Fourteenth street
came to $4,000 and Eighth street to $4,000: we
improved many other Streets | mad been in bust.
ness three years before met Wlllssla; spoke to
her without an Introduction, because 1t is the rule
please; we had lots of drinks there; went just to
see the girls and nave s0ne fun wnen nrSL
| l
to meet her on the corner; can't tell why intro
duced her at balls ana parties as my wife; don't
know why except that we would not De let into Ger.
tam places unless dd so one night when So her
in HObOken she was drunk at Il ball IN No. En-
glne house: sne was IN company with a man
named walter Olcott; left HOratlO street on the
day was married in Hoboaen, but don't remem-
ber exactly; was on spree that nlgnt; | gave
Wlissia tie $1,000 because was fool; when
told her was gong to be married she SAID she
mad an old fellow at tue ST. Nicholas Hotel; we had
good laugh over the certificate the night it was
signed; severa ballet girls from the Theatre
COmique and Tony Pastors, were there; think
there were some from the olympic also.
Recorder BOhnstedt testified that he drew the
aflidavit Mllissid Stevens on which COughla0
was arrested; the date taken from the mar
! riage certificate; he read the affidavit to Mrs
Coughan.
Tue defence produced testimony to prove an
alloi, and the prosecution went INTO rebuttal. b.
| " Crane, of HQDokeD, was subjected to o search.
ing and irritating crosse XaminatiOn regarding
carriage which was hired from him by Coughlan.
One OF the incidents OF this trial that
created slight breeZe in court was the
reputcd wife whlle on the stand. When
| asked why her family objected TO Wiilssla marry
ing Coughlan, she answered snapplshly, because
we didn't want her 10 take an irsn Catholic" one
! OF the Jurors, whose coins were evidently ptnched
| at this blow turned In his cnar uneasiy and made
grlmaces that indicated disgust. 'a
| The case will be summed up to-day. Mr.. DlxOn
| Will speak to evidence for the defence.