New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-29
DUAL BRIDE WON
BY HUSBAND NO. Z
Jurors See Bigamy by
Girl as Mere Error
in Judgment

With her belief that the law is not
always the law verified by grand Jury
which refused TO indict her for bigamy'
although she admitted having two hus'
bands. Mrs. Agnes Donelan-David went
from the County Court House in Ricn-
mond, Staten Island, yesterday 10 the
house in West Brighton to the husband
who Is not her husband.
II was there that she was arrested a
week ago. when her legal HUSBAND
Michael Donelan, returned from an abb
sence of several months to find her
married to Leonard David. Doneiah
was virtually the only witness for the
prosecution at the grand jury proceed
inps. David made dramatic plea for
the release of his "wife.'
Husband No. 2 Pleads
az don't know the law" he said, "out
7 know this woman is my wife and that
love her. The law cannot take her
from me. She may be indicted con-
victed and sentenced to ten years IN
prison, but when she is released she
will find that l have waited for her
and that my home is hers. | intend to
nrotect her for the rest of her life"
The story of the legal marriage and
wbv It was no marriage and of the
illegal marriage and why it bound her
70 David was told by the prisoner ner-
self She is twenty years old.
She was studying in the nurses
scboo, connected with Seaview Hospital
-Tsn she met Donelan. an orderly in
the hospital. That was twelve months
ago. .ho,n she said.
nonaIa7,s was n rapid courtshlp, ana
-, necember 7, 1915, they were mar
- ~, Vonsignor Charles A. CASSIDY
- - Peters Church. She declared II
,yas NOT long before she knew what IL
meant m@s TO be hungry and to lack clothes
Part Soon After Wedding
Altar \ few weeks she left him. The
foar If hunger and homelessness
Ioomed still nearer when she was aIohe'
Ar first the sense of freedom dis-
noIIod II hut she soon discovered lhas
tbera we're few means OF llvS-ihoou
o,ar "a a Young woman whose only
tro;rino consisted of few weeks IN
hosnitaI What she discovered during
.hoee few weeks of freedom lent an
emnhasis to her statement yesterday
81 was very young-then;" Md
During this period she met Dsvia'
q voung shopkeeper, who tried 20 help
ber Her recent discoveries IN inc
wavs of the world made her suspicious
of his attempts. He pleaded Win her
10 A%npalied % by the world she had dis.
covered. she persuaded herseh ,,I Ihat
che had the right to marry again. Ihey
we're married on April IL by the kev'
Pascal Herrower, of the .Churcn Oh 'he
Ascension. in West Brighton.
Then came Mrs. David's real trial:
cbe had not told her new husband o.
the old one. It had seemed 10 neI
that Donelan had passed out OF her
life. but the words OF the clergyman
who married her to David had suddenly
brought him back. He haunted her
thoughts and as climax sne zen III
love with the man the logic OF her ne"
world had persuaded her to marry
with her world crumbling about her
a,most as soon as she had discovered
T. there vas vast relief when de-
tectiyes sent by Donelan called at the
house. on Manor Road. week ago
Yesterday while she was getting sup
per ready. /.
fore the grand jury. Mr.. Herrower,
asked what he thought Of the tangle'
declared that Mrs. David had done
right. The grand jury, veritaoie
twenty -three-fold Solomon. shared his