Fireman Charged with Bigamy

Fireman Charged with Bigamy

A Marriage at Portsmouth.

At the Southampton Police Court, on Thursday, William Abrams, a fireman, of no fixed abode, was brought up on remand charged on a warrant with having, on the 26th October, 1907, feloniously married Mabel Constance Hosmer, his wife, to who he was married on the 18th March, 1899, being then alive.

Mr. C. J. M. Whittaker prosecuted on behalf of the police, & stated that he had already proved the marriage, & he would call a brother of the wife to prove that the prisoner was the man who married his sister.

Albert Henry Scott, a carpenter’s mate in the Royal Navy, serving on H.M.S. Spartiate, stated that he had a sister named Nelly Scott, & on the 18th March, 1899, she was married at the Registry Office, Portsmouth. The prisoner was the man she married, & they lived for some time close to him at Portsmouth. He last saw his sister a fortnight ago.

Detective Pugh stated that on Wednesday, the 13th July, he went to the steamship Adriatic, where he saw the prisoner, & told him he wanted to speak to him. Prisoner replied “That’s all right; I know what you want me for. I was just telling the engineers to get another man in my place. I was expecting this.”

At the Bargate Police station witness read to the prisoner the warrant produced for arrears of maintenance, & he made no reply.

On Thursday, the 21st July, witness read the other warrant to prisoner, who replied, “That’s all right; does it state when she left me? Is she to be here today?”

On Thursday, the 28th July, the prisoner asked whether his first wife was coming that day. Witness replied in the affirmative, & prisoner said “She is altered. She used to be a nice little girl. She has got so thin. I shall be in a fine fix. I had two wives; but by the time I finish I shall have none. I shall be glad when it is over.”

The usual caution having been given to the prisoner, he replied “Mrs. Hosmer knew, long before I married her daughter, I was a married man. It was told her by her own son.

Prisoner was then committed for trial at the next Assizes, & was offered bail, himself in the sum of £50, & one surety in a like amount, or two sureties of £25 each [Hampshire Telegraph 5 Aug 1910; & Hampshire Independent 6 Aug 1910]