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The Colwyn Bay Sensation.

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The Colwyn Bay Sensation. FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS. ANOTHER CHARGE OF BIGAMY. THE BENCH AND THE NAME OF A WITNESS. A REMARKABLE INCIDENT. The hearing of the charges against David James Morgan, alias Captain Foster, was resumed yesterday at the Bangor Police Court before Messrs Charles Pierce, J. E. Roberts and W. Pugh. Mr S. R. Dew prosecuted on behalf of the police, Mr H. Rowland defended, and Mr James Porter watched the case on behalf of Miss Sadlier's guardians. There was a crowded attendance. Miss Sadlier was again in attend- ance, as was the prisoner's sister. The prisoner himself was not on this occasion allowed to sit with Miss Sadlier, and had to occupy the prisoners' dock, where he was accommodated with a seat. Mr Dew said that since the last remand the police had discovered that on the 18th of October, 1890, prisoner was married at the Registrar's Office, Dublin, to Mary Teresa Ashmore, of 10, Burling- ton-row, and there would, therefore, be against him a further charge of bigamy. There would also be a charge of felony against him under 24 and 25 Victoria, chap. 98, section 36. It was, in fact, forgery, and had reference to the proceed- ings of the prisoner in connexion with his marriage to Miss Sadlier at Bangor. There would be called a witness who did not wish her name to be men- tioned, who would give evidence of her connexion with prisoner. She would state that she met the prisoner in 1879, and the prosecution alleged that the prisoner married in 1878 a widow of the name of Marsh, who lived at West Gorton, Manchester. About a year after prisoner promised marriage to this young woman, and took her away to Burton for the purpose of marrying her. Mr Rowland objected, but Mr Dew held that he was entitled to produce the evidence with a view of proving that the prisoner knew that his first wife was living when the subsequent mar- riages were contracted. The Bench ruled the evidence admissible, and having outlined the remainder of the evidence, Mr Dew proposed to call his first witness, and get her to tell them how she came to be misled by the prisoner. Mr Rowland objected. The only thing this young lady could say which was relevant, was as to any statement made by Morgan with a view to inducing her to become his wife. Mr Dew This is relevant, that the prisoner did not marry her because he knew his first wife was still living, and lived too close to him to make a second marriage safe. Mr Dew then called the witness, and again expressed a wish that her name should not be mentioned. Mr Rowland objected, and pointed out that the name had already been published in connection with the previous hearing. Mr Dew Well, I only made the request at the wish of the witness. After consulting with the Clerk, the Chairman said, the Bench would like the name of the wit- ness written on a piece of paper and handed up to them, and if Mr Rowland wished confidentially he should know it. Mr Rowland Oh, I must have it. The only question is that I think the name should be pub- lished. The Chairman (emphatically) And we say no. Mr Rowland Very well, sir, I accept your ruling. Only that I think it is a little unfair to the prisoner. Mr Dew Oh, the prisoner knows her well enough. It is no unfairness to him. [Laughter.]. A good-looking woman was then called, and entered the box, where she was accommodated with a chair. In reply to Mr Dew, the witness said In 1879 I lived at Radcliffe, near Manches- ter, about nine miles from West Gorton. During the year I became acquainted with the prisoner while I was living at Gorton. I had a brother, who was married to his sister, and that was how I became acquainted with him. The prisoner in the course of that year proposed marriage to me. I became engaged to him, and went with him to Buxton for the purpose of being married to him. I did not know at the time that he was a married man. The Prisoner (excitedly) Oh, you perjurer. From the very hour she knew me, Your Worships, she knew. The Chairman You must be quiet. Don't get excited. Mr Dew I suppose he admits by that that he was married. Proceeding, the witness said that she was not married to the prisoner, because he told her that she must get all her money before he married her. The prisoner told her that his wife had died in a chair from drinking brandy. Mr Dew Were you entitled to money. The Witness; Of course. He has gone through a thousand pounds of mine. [Sensation.]. We remained at Buxton for a fortnight, and then spent a week at Blackpool, and then retuned to Radcliffe. About two years ago, the prisoner told me that he went to the Old Nelson public- house, Manchester, and he told me that it was kept by Robert Marsh, who was a son of his first wife. Subsequently I told the prisoner that I had heard that his first wife was living. He said that she was not. That was before she saw Marsh. I asked him why, if she was dead, we did not get married. He replied, You have not got all your money." I lived with the prisoner for about fifteen years. We had lived during that period at Radcliffe, Salford, Preston and Ireland (Bel- fast), and then returned to Liverpool, then to Oldham. I left him there after the conversation already reported. Cross-examined, the witness said, I first knew the prisoner in 1879, and thought that he was a widower. I found out afterwards that there was a doubt as to whether the first wife was alive or not. He said he would not marry me till I had got all my money. [Laughter]. You lived with him fifteen years, and it was only during the last two years you talked of his first wife ?—Oh, no, I had frequently spoken about her. I kept asking him why we did not get mar- ried at Buxton. The prisoner said they could not get married then she must wait a bit, and he must get all her money first. Subsequently she told the prisoner that his first wife was then living at Gorton. She still, however, continued to live with the prisoner, not knowing what to believe. She had two children by the prisoner. Robert Marsh, licensee of the Old Nelson public-house, Chapel-street, Salford, identified the prisoner. He first knew him sixteen or seventeen years ago. Mr Dew Did he marry your mother ? Mr Rowland objected. Mr Dew said that they had a copy of the certifi- cate, which had been put in. MrDew (to the witness) Did this man, David James Morgan, live with your mother as her hus- band ?-He did, sir, I was not present at any marriage between them, I was not in England at the time, but when I returned I was told that David James Morgan was my father, and (emphati- cally) he was living under my mother's roof as her husband. [Applause in Court, at once suppressed.] The prisoner subsequently came to the witness's house and asked about the witness's mother, and asked whether she was still living in Gorton. The witness replied that she was, and that she was still in the same circumstances as she was when the prisoner left her. The prisoner pro- duced papers purporting to show that he had come into large property, and was now in a position and prepared to undo what he had done, and put the family right. He told the witness that he could have a place—an hotel,— under him (the prisoner) in London. The witness's mother was still living. Cross-examined, the witness said, I do not think my mother cared much about his whereabouts. She had had quite enough of him. [Laughter]. Mr Dew That is all the evidence I shall call to-day with respect to the charge of bigamy, and I shall ask you to remand the prisoner till the next ordinary Petty Sessions, when I shall pro- duce witnesses who will identify the prisoner as the person who married Sarah Ann Marsh. Pro- ceeding, Mr Dew said that he would now go on with the charge of false declaration. John Williams, employed by a Bangor coal- merchant, identified the prisoner as a man who had spoken to him some three months ago. The prisoner invited him and anothermantohavea drink with him at the Castle Hotel. The prisoner, after- wards, after asking him whether he was a married man or kept lodgers, asked the witness to do him a kindness,—namely, to sign a piece of paper that he (the prisoner) had lived with him (the witness) for five or six weeks. He refused, saying, Do you want to get me into trouble? Oh, no," said the prisoner, it's only a matter of form," and then laughed. The prisoner followed him, and again asked him to sign, but he again refused and ran away, and he never saw him again. [Laughter]. William Roberts gave corroborative evidence. Police-Superintendent Harris said that he attended on the 5th of March on the Rev. Mr Green, curate of St. Mark's Church, West Gorton. He went with the reverend gentleman to the Church, and saw him produce the marriage certificate book from the safe. The witness gave the Curate the dates of the certificates required, and the clergyman turned to the place and the witness saw the original of a marriage certificate now once more produced—(the document referred to was put in as a copy of a certificate of maraiage between Sarah Ann Marsh and the prisoner). Mr Robert Marsh was also called to give evi- dence in this case, and said that he was the son of Sarah Ann Marsh, who lived at 4, School-street, West Gorton. He knew t lie prisoner, who had lived with his mother as her husband some fifteen or sixteen years ago. His mother was still living. That was as far as Mr Dew proposed to carry this case, and he asked for a remand on the evi- dence. He then proceeded with the charge of felony. This charge was advanced under 24 and 25 Victoria, chap. 98, section 36. The Rev W. Edwards, senior vicar of Bangor, produced the register of marriages, which con- tained the entry of the prisoner's marriage with Miss Sadlier at the BangorCathedral on November 23, 1895, and repeated the evidence he had given at the first hearing, and read the certificate, in which the prisoner described himself as gentle- man," at which the crowded Court laughed. After asking for a remand in this case, Mr Dew proceeded to what he called a fourth charge against the prisoner, which, he added, WclS a charge of bigamy. [Sensation]. The Bench had jurisdiction, though the alleged bigamy was cOIn. mitted in Dublin. The charge was that the prisoner did feloniously marry, knowing his wife was alive, Mary Teresa Ashmore. It would appear that, during the interval of the time the prisoner was living with the witness who had been called that day, he resided during a part of the summer and autumn of 1890 with his sister, Mrs Griffiths, at Colwyn Bay, and it happened that there lodged at her house at that time a family who had with them, apparently as a lady's maid, a young woman named Mary Teresa Ashmore. The prisoner, notwithstanding that his wife was alive, courted this woman (Ashmore). He became engaged to her, and went over to Dublin, after she had left with the family, and was married to her on October 18th, 1890. For a time he lived with her, and then left her to her fate. What had become of her since, they were not able to sayC nor could they to-day produce her, but if they would remand the prisoner till the next ordinary Petty Sessions, he (Mr Dew) hoped to be able to produce Mary Teresa Ashmore in Court. [Sensa. tion]. Superintendent Harris then produced a copy of a certificate of marriage between David James Morgan, described 011 the document as publican and horse-dealer [Laughter], and Mary Teresa Ashmore. Sergeant John Breese, stationed at Bangor; was next called, and examined by Mr Dew. Did you to-day charge the prisoner with committing bigamy in marrying Mary Teresa Ashmore ? I did. You gave him dates and particulars ? I did. Did he say anything? He replied to the charge, When I married her I left her in about three hours. [Laughter]. I left her chaste. [Laughter]. I had my reason for leaving her." That was the whole of Mr Dew's case for thei day, and he asked for a remand on each of the cases till next Tuesday. Mr Huw Rowland said that he could not object, but he would express the hope that the prosecution would be ready to complete their case at the next hearing, as the matter was be- coming vety expensive for his client.

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CONWAY.

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COLWYN BAY.

The Colwyn Bay Sensation.