The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-04-24
[From the st. louis Republican,
VIRTUOUS BIGAMY.

San Bernardlno, California, Is
virtuous place and it is making hero
ic efforts to remain so. There is just
one man within its borders who does
not conform to the standard of NOR
ality established there, and San Ber-
nardino has been wrestling nobly
with that man. The man is strong
He appears to have the law on his
side, and in four tussels he has thrown
San Bernardino to the grass every
time, ana walked oifvictoriou3. That
mans name was Oades, md he is IN
Englishman of good address, and he
came into the country two years age,
md soon married pretty widow,
Nancy Foreland, and he prospered,
and increased and multiplied.
At length an oldish worn woman
and three pretty well-grown children
made their appearance in the town
Of San Bernarlino, and asked where
Oades lived. She was directed to
the comfortable Oades mansion. The
door was opened to her and she and
the children walked in and stayed
there. Soon the neighbors came and
poked their noses in, smelling round
for vice. The family were perfectly
happy and contented and all as gay
as turks. To satisfy the neighbors'
curiosity, Oades told them bluntly
hat it was none Of their business as
long as his family was happy. The
neighbors thought differently. Bill
lings had Oades brought into court
charged with adultly under the act
of 1870. Oades introduced docu-
montary evidence and proved thut
the woman with the three children
wGs his lawful wife, having been mar
ried to him in England twenty yoar5
ago, This sent Billings and San
Dernardino to the grass and Oades
walked homo to his family. In n few
days Oades was taken before the
same court charge with open and no.
toriou3 adultry with Mrs. Nancy
Foreland, No. Q. Here lie placed
himself under the protection OF the
code. which decllres:
"Tho marriage Of u person having
q former husband or wife living is
Ivoid, unless such former husband OIL
wife was absent and not known to
such person to be living for five years
Immediately preceding. Such subse-
quent marriage Is void only from the
time it's nullity is adjudgod by a prop
or tribunal.
The court then considered tho
question whether Mrs. Oades No. |
had been absent and not known by
Oados to be living for five years i'm
modiately preceding his marriage
with Mrs. Foreland. Oades introdu.
COS this romantic history:
About eight years ago no was iy-
ing with Mrs. Oades No. l and then
three children in Wellington county,
New Zealand. Their residence was
on the frontier. Having gone on
business to Victoria, the Maoris, q
native tribe with which the English
were at peace, made an inroad into
the settlement without warning. Re
turning, Oade3 found his building
burned, his field Laid waste and his
family gone. In the smoking ruins
| no found human bones, which settled
| his doubts rs TO the fate OF his loved
ones. lie stayed amid the scenes oi
his desolation for over year and
then he turned his back upon then
forever. He came to California, l.v
I ing in various places until his advent
at San Bernadino two years ago, at
stated.
The court accepted The 5tatement
and held that Onde5 had been igno-
rant OF tho od5tance Of his wife fol
more than five years previous to hi'
second marriage. Oades was acquit
tel and walked forth from the court
room once more to his happy home
Sun Benarlino had again gone tc
! grass.
The next thing in orderafor virtue
was to try Oades for biSamy; and
Oades was accordingly indicted
| San Bernarlino and his wife werC
I there, and there we're also OadeS
and his two wives. Oades' dc.
fenso was under the penal code itiolf
which provides that no person shall
be held guilty Of bigamy whose hus
band or wife had been ab5ent for twC
successive years, without being known
to such person as living. And
third time Oades and his wives pre-
vailed. They left the courtroom
arm in arm, with all San Borardint
sneeringat theirheelg. Whatdidtho,
/ care so long as they were happy?
But SIN Bornardino IS terrified
It is caught in TIE trap Of the law