South Australian Advertiser 8 Feb 1884
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35953683MAGISTRATES COURT - CRYSTAL BROOK.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7. [Before-Mr. John Miller.]
Martha Elizabeth Raines was charged with bigamy, Mr. Bean appeared for the prosecution. James Raines deposed that he was married to prisoner in 1860, at Melrose, by the Rev. B. G. Edwards. The witnesses were W. J. Bacon and Mary Brown, who were both now dead. After living at various places they went to reside at Clare, where a fellow workman named Child came to board at his house, and remained for six or seven months. In consequence of noticing improper behavior on the part of his wife with this man had some words with her, but offered to forgive her if she would reform. She refused, and said she would not live any longer with him. Shortly afterwards she left, going away with Henry Benjamin Child. Before she left she tore up the marriage lines and threw them in the fire. She also broke her wedding ring and threw it away, and told him he was now a free man and might marry again whenever he liked. She took one of the children with her, leaving the other two with him. He last heard from his wife by letter in 1877, but had heard of her through her brothers frequently since.
By Prisoner —Did not send a telegram to Moonta to Child, asking him to come and take you away. Took poison about three nights before you left, but was out of my mind at the time, and did not know what I was doing. I did not offer to sell you to Child for £2, in addition to being released from a debt of £16 10s. I owed him. I did not kiss you as you left. I shook hands with you. You told me your name was Martha Elizabeth Morris. There was no Chapman in it.
The Rev. B.G. Edwards, Wesleyan minister, deposed to having celebrated a marriage at Melrose on July 12, 1869, between James Raines and Martha Elizabeth Morris. He could identify the prosecutor as the man who was then married, but could not say positively the prisoner was the woman, though she strongly resembled her.
The Rev. T. E. Keen, Bible Christian minister, identified the prisoner as a person whom he married to Henry Benjamin Child, at Moonta, in June, 1880. The certificates of both marriages were produced in court by Mr. Bean. Police constable Jewell deposed to having arrested the prisoner at Moonta, and cautioned her in the usual manner, when she made the following statement—"I cannot see how they can make a case of bigamy out of it, for I was first married in a wrong name, for he told me to say I was called Morris, for I have made a mistake and told the minister that your name was Morris, and you must not make a liar of me." The prisoner was then committed for must not make a liar of me." The prisoner was then committed for trial.
Cando
