New-York tribune., 1880-02-15
ARRESTED FOR BIGAMY.
CHARLES A. BYRNE's FALSE MARRIAGE.


WITH PROOFS OF THEIR GUILT IN A POLICE
COURT.
Louis Timian, broker, in 1869 married
young girl sixteen seventeen years OF age, named
Laura f. Jennings. He was q consumptive, broken
down In health well as in pocket Shortly aiter theT
marriage Charles A Byne, reporter ON some obscene
paper saw and fell 10 love with the Wife He enreated
her to leave her husband and 1--we with him as his
wife.
husband and wife between Timan and Mrs. Timian
His hostility extended far the matreatmeut OF the
woman with blows, and in order to drive Timian and
his wife from the various boarding houses in
which they lived, he visited the places
in Timlan's absence. destroyed the furni-
ture, upsettng stoves with burning Goals
them and otherwise made it impossible for respect
able iandades to keep them in their houses Personal
encounters frequent between Byrne and Ilmlah'
until the latter left the country for fear OF Byrne.
thus abandoning his wife.
Subsequently Byrne made civil contract OF marriage
between himself and Laura Tmian, drawing an
elaborate contract, and two years later III
1873 upon his furnishing her proof OF Tmion's
DEATH they married at st. AIMS Church September
O. 1873 by Father Lake. Mr.. Byrnes mother being the
principal witness to the marriage. Since the marriage
the woman has largely supported Byrne, chiefly by
keeping boarders she saved upa few hundred dollars
and invested 1t with theatrical manager known as
Josh Hart in weekly paper, which, after consid
erable struggle for existence finally became reuner
alive The employ ed to make the paper success
ful were OF the most dsreputabe character The editor
became known aud was generally denounced as black
mailer.
About a year ago Byrne became acquainted with DIR
Merrill dentist in West Thirty who had q
wife ambitious go the stage. Bsrne betrayed her.
and Dr. Merrill brought a suit for divorce, on the
ground of her criminal intimacy with ByrDe. 1t was
granted by Judge DOnohue about six weeks ago.
The wife Mrs. Tim.an-Byrne on the proof OF her bus-
bands conduct refused to live any longer with Charles
A. Byne AS the part owner Of the paper alluded to
she demanded settlement with Josh Hart,I
before alluded to- pretended settlement resulted not
only in deprving her of her half interest In the paper
bu, also in the institution OF divorce proceedings begun
by her against husband This for the purpose
as Mrs. Byrne discovered. Of enabling Charles A.
Byrne To marry Alta Merrill who had been divorced
from her husband on of her infdelity On dis
covering this Mrs. Byrne dismissed her lawyer, A.
H. Hummel, employed John d. Townsend, and stopped
the divorce proceedings. She also began suit for the
recovery of her property on the paper alluded 10.
THE FALSE MARRIAGE.
About three weeks ago Charles A. Byrne and Alta Mer
rill accompanied by Charles W. Brooke and May Hart
alias Mrs Johu Savie, went to Niagara Falls, crossed
the new suspension bridge and registered the |
Prospect House Charles W. Brooke and wife, Charles
A. Byrne and Miss A. Humphres, 49,. !" Rce's R |
Surprise Party T9e same 1ay sneS ~ Wba e,ag
license. Mr. Byrne made afdavts TO the effect that ne
WA "A bachelor, =. a.
ster. He thus obtained license with which he went to
the residence of the Rev. Chas lngles and asked TO be
married. Mr.. Inges refused to marry them III the mousse
and the party including Brooke and Mrs Savie, went
the church. In the course OF the ceremony MI Byhe
lady spinster; and he rephed: %Yes; ,spinster"
'Oh! no." said the exMrs Merrill 81 have been mar
@ "a widow" yes said Mrs Merrill widow" Tne
ceremony was then performed and the party departed
returning to this and being present on January
20 at The opening of the Humpty Dumpty prformanee
The commission Of this bigamy became known about
week and half ago Mr. Charles & ". Brooke being being
up with the denied that he was present. The
lawyers of Mrs Byrne, however, employed gentleman
mondville, obtained a record of the marri1ge and
brought the clergyman to NewrYork Ihey arrived at
Afiidavits were immediately drawn up by Messrs;
and Weed feens nes & genera fe csaae
A Byrne for bigamy and Aha Merrill or Humphreys
Byrne at once although the warrants issued at
late hour, % disturb the woman until morning
ARRESTED AND ARRAIGNED.
Byrne eyaded arrest the day by inducing an
Office clerk, named Louis Post to persouate him. When
the warrant served 1t was discovered that
the officers had the wrong man. But the
officers. not to be defeated, traced Bryne
to his home His residence NJ 10 last Monday had been
reported to Police headquarters as a "disiepulabe
house, the occupants had 20 remove Byne thereapon
paramour where he was arrested by Oeers faweett aud
Byfne and Mrs. Merrill were arraigned Yesterday
morning Jefferson Market Police Court before JUS
erred bv Laura f. Byrne, his wife, and against Ala
Merrill that OF felony The following Is the affidavit
made 10y the complainant against ByInc o,...,,o..
No. 26 West IN the Cy OF New,fGrk d &
married to him ON about the 9Th day OF septemDer
oS'S or ana Se 'V day Of S
when he deserted, me- as ,do am informed,
Alta GI1 Humphrey, who was divorced nom her
husband for adultery with my SAID husband tue mar
aaTuf Calu "A eN hQp
With mi X inowedge of the faet that was still his
wife and with felonlous intent. the said Charles A.
Byrne married AHA Humphrey at Drummondsvile'
The aidavIt made against Ala Merri by the com
planant also stated that her MRS. Byrnesl
in full effect and undlstur6ed. While hvirg with her
husband, Charles A. Byine, Ara Merrill was a
husband obtained a divorce in the state of New
York against her for criminal intimacy Win Chal,s A a,
her husband at the time and win ieOnlOus INTENT
RED Charles AByrne. her husband. at DIummondsve.
Canada January %, 1850. -,
him under The laws Cauada in DruHmondsvle, jan
were Charles A. Brooke and Mary Brooke.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE POLICE COURT.
At 1920 O. yesterday the prisoners conducted
to the private at Jefferson Market Police Court,
where the examination was held. The complainant
was present with her counsel John d. Townsend; the
prisoners we're represented by Charles A Brooke. Be
fore proceeding with the long dis
cnssion took place between Mr.. Townsend and
Mr.. Brooke TO whether the complaint should
not be dismissed for want OF proper iurisdic the
defence claiming that the alleged bigamy took place in
Canada aud In the United States and that there
fore the should be tried IN Canada Justice Duny
oyerrnled the motion tO dismiss the ease made by Mr.
Brooke, and ordered the examination 10 proceed.
The FIRST witness produced by the cOnpalnaDts cOun-
the Rev. Charles Leyster lngles rector OF the
Church of England at Drummondsve, Canada. TO prove
the marriage OF Charles A. Byrne aud Mrs
Merrill. The prisoners counsel at this point sad
that he willing TO concede the marriage without
proof the obvious reason being that he did not wish
himself and wife 10 appear witnesses 10 the cere
mony The Court allowed the examination OF the wit
ness TO go on. -,