The Detroit times., 1911-07-27
FLAYS B|GAMIST
At BAR OF JUSTICE
THE Earth Never Contained More
Infamous sCoundrel," Says Court
to George WEtucid

LONDON. July 1.-THE jury at the
Old Bailey has returned verdtcts of
guilty on both indictments against
George William Lucid. alias Leslie,
whose trial for bigamy and obtaining
money by false pretenses from women
commenced week ago. In sentencing
him to seven years penal servitude for
bigamy and five years penal seryituee
for the frauds-the sentences 10 run
concurrently-Judge Rentoul said to
the prisoner: Il think the earth never
contained q more infamous scoundrel
than you are"
The prisoner was on July 10. 1906,
married to Mrs. Kate Ransom at
Compton Clifford, Devonshire. In Sep
TENDER, 1909, he went through mar
riage ceremony with Ethel Selfe,
typist, at Holborn register ONCE.
The other charge was that he obtained
ESQ from Miss Mary Johnson and
R3 los. from Miss Annie Sutton Gress-
we'll. a cook, OF Grantham. on the false
pretense OF promise OF marriage. He
made Miss Jackson's acquaintance
through a matrimonial advertisement
he inserted in Cupid's Chronicle.
In lengthy statement in defense
the prisoner denied the charge and de-
clared that the prosecution had made
the facts At preconceived theory. He
maintained that his relations with
Miss Jackson and Miss Gresswell were
OF a purely business character.
2,70o Letters From Women.
Mr.. Summons, for the prosecution,
said that the prisoner obtained 6 1900
from Mrs. Ransom, and when the mon
ey was gone left her. AT his premises
the police found 2,700 letters, and II
was evident that he had kept careful
list OF the people with whom he was
corresponding. In 1909 he was writ
ing to % different women. In 1910. IL
OF these remained. and there were 2S
fresh ones-35 in all. In 1911 there
were seven others. which brought the
total to AZ Money had been enclosed
In many Of the envelopes, and at least
E2S5 had been traced by references In
the letters. After the prisoners ar
rest on Nov. IL letter arrived at his
address with two R5 notes and let
ter beginning Dearest boy"
Detective Inspector Tappenden said
that the prisoner, whose real name was
Moran, was born about 1870 in Tip
peraryA the son of a farmer In good
circumstances, who sent him to col
lege. Between 1898 and 1906 the
prisoner obtained over f1.00O from
ten different women. and during that
period represented to the governors OF
the Roman Catholic Sailors home at
Plymouth that he had received e 1.600
for the extension or their buildings.
The governors invited contracts, and
in the end, as the whole thing was
fraud, they had to close the home. In
January. 1907, the prisoner committed
bigamy with lady or means In Bristol
and all the time he was writing letters
to dozens of other women.
Judges Condemnation Given.
Z Judge Rentoul, In passing sentence,
said to the prisoner: You have made
an appearance here today and yester-
day that is unequaled In my experience.
I have never came across anything like
II in my life; have never heard OF
anything like IT, Your frauds on these
two poor girls were bad enough. but
when one thinks Of this lady OF means.
at Bristol, the other
girl you married. and the unfortunate
woman who u your real wife and who
has lost all her money. / think the
earth never contained more infam-
ou. s.oundral than Won are"