Children of Alfred James and Victoria Ferry

Alfred James Ferry presented a petition, signed by members of the Labour Council, asking that the Commissioner would take into consideration that the West Ward, with 5,166 burgesses, was far too large, and supporting the scheme of the Thornton-heath Ratepayers' Association. Mr. Ferry added that the Labour Council was in favour of a redistribution throughout the borough, but thought the present moment an unfavourable one for bringing it forward. They did not attach importance to the residential questions. The petition was signed by 217 burgesses, all, with the exception of half-a-dozen, resident in the West Ward.

Cross-examined, the witness admitted some of the signatures came from South Croydon, Foulsham-road, and Selhurst, but the far larger number of the 217 were burgesses of the West Ward.

PESTER—FERRY.—Dec. 27, at Holy Trinity Church, Weymouth, by the Rev. Canon Weldon, vicar, assisted by the Rev. E.C. Alexander, senior curate. Thomas John Pester, eldest son of the late Thomas Pester, The Vale, Guernsey, to Clara Louisa Ferry, second daughter of Alfred James Ferry, Barkley House, Weymouth.

TOLE—FERRY—June 5th, at Holy Trinity Church, Weymouth, by the Rev. L.N. de Burgh, Alfred Tole, second son of the late William John Tole, of London, do Annie Eliza, third daughter of Alfred James Ferry, of Barkly House, Weymouth.

A FIRST OFFENDER.

Herbert Edward Ferry, of Cromwell-road, Westham, a native of Weymouth, was charged with obtaining 5s. from Mary Louisa Ames, the wife of the landlord of the Marquis of Granby, by false pretences, on October 17th.—Prosecutrix stated that she lent the money to defendant on the strength of his having stated Mr. C.E.A. George, of Fleet House, owed him £5.—Mr. George (one of the sitting magistrates) stated that defendant called on him, and have stated that he was in difficulties, gave him 5s.—Defendant said that he was a wheelwright, and had been in the South African war (defendant was wearing a medal with five bars).—Accused's father, who was in Court, asked the Bench to deal leniently with him.—In addressing the Bench, defendant stated that he had served his King and country in South Africa. Since he returned from the war he had got into bad company, and had given way to betting.—The magistrates dealt with him under the First Offenders' Act.

WOMAN ACCUSED OF BIGAMY.

Maud Fredericson, 41, alias Nash and Ferry, of Grosvenor-road, Westminster, was before Mr. Curtis Bennett, at Westminster police-court yesterday, on a remanded charge of stealing a sovereign from her employer. A fresh charge of bigamy was now preferred against the accused, who looked pale and ill and was very distressed. Prisoner was taken in out of compassion by Mr. John Wennen, and he found her work in his house as a servant. In his absence she stole a sovereign from his cash-box, and it was subsequently found in one of her boots by the matron who searched her at the police-station.

On inquiries being made into her antecedents by Detective Cock, it was ascertained that two men were alive whom she had married within the last 11 years. On June 22, 1895, she married a man named Nash at St. Augustine's Church, West Croydon, giving her name as Alice Maud Barrett. On Sept. 19, 1898, she went through a similar ceremony at St. James's Church, Croydon, on that occasion marrying Herbert Edward Ferry. Prisoner then described herself as a spinster, and again gave the name of Barrett.

Detective Cock said that when the prisoner left Nash she went into service some distance away, and soon commenced walking out with a milkman. She was about to marry him, but Nash heard of it and spoke to the milkman. Then prisoner went to West Croydon, and found employment in a laundry. She made the acquaintance of Ferry, and later married him. Quarrels were frequent between the couple, and on the man learning something of prisoner's previous history he left her and enlisted in the Army. Since then prisoner had been living in the Pimlico district, and had cohabited with a Dane, named Fredericson, for four years. There was one child of the second marriage. It was practically deserted, but was now being well looked after.

Prisoner, who now tearfully said she was sorry for what she had done, was committed for trial on both charges.

Pte. Herbert Edward Ferry, of the Army Service Corps, was charged at the Police-court, yesterday, on remand, with bigamously marrying Minnie Kathleen West, his wife being alive. Mr. J. Hutchings defended. He was committed to the Assizes, bail being allowed, himself in £25 and two sureties of £10.

BIGAMY CHARGE

Passage of Arms Between Lawyer and Policeman

AT NEWTON ABBOT

At Newton Abbot Police Court yesterday, before Mr C. Geen (in the chair), Dr. J.W. Ley, and Messrs. A.J. Murrin, C.C., and H.L. Brown, Herbert Edward Ferry, A.S.C., was brought up on remand charged with bigamously marrying Minnie Kathleen West, at Newton Abbot Registry Office, on June 8th of this year, his wife, Alice Maud Ferry, being then alive.

At the outset Mr. J.H. Hutchings, who appeared for the defence, objected to Supt. Crooke conducting the prosecution, the information being laid by Inspector Browne.

Sup. Crooke said it had always been the custom all over the county for superintendents of police to conduct criminal prosecutions, and to assist the justices by placing their knowledge of the circumstances at the disposal of the Bench. At the same time he could not of course claim it as a right.

The Magistrates' Clerk thereupon asked Inspector Browne to examine the witnesses.

Minnie Kathleen West said she resided at 12, The Avenue, Newton Abbot. She first met prisoner three years ago at Weymouth. They afterwards corresponded, and were married at Newton Abbot on June 8th this year. Prisoner described himself on the certificate as a single man.

Cross-examined: She became engaged to prisoner a twelve-month after she met him.

Mr Hutchings: Did he then describe to you what his position was?

Witness: Yes; he said he would not be able to get married yet, as he had a wife living. Later (witness added) prisoner was re-called to the Army. In May he returned from the front wounded, and he came to Newton to see her. He said that whilst in France he met a chum who assured him for a fact that his wife was dead. This chum was afterwards killed at Mons.

Mr. Hutchings: Did he tell you whether he knew that to be true or not?—He had no positive proof he said.

What did you say when he told you that?—I said I was willing to take the risk.

Witness said they were engaged about a year before they were married.

Inspector Browne: Was that an ordinary engagement as between two lovers?—Yes.

It did not reach anything more than that?—No.

Mr. Hutchings: This will not do. I must object to such questions.

The Inspector proceeded to ask the witness whether they lived together as man and wife, but Mr. Hutchings again hotly object that no solicitor would be allowed to re-examine his own witness in such a manner. If the Bench were going to allow a policeman to put such an insulting question as that he (Mr. Hutchings) could be of no further service in the case.

The Bench ruled that the question was permissible, and the Inspector asked:

Did you live together as man and wife?

Witness: Yes.

You say he told you his wife was dead?

Mr. Hutchings again interposed, but the witness answered in the affirmative.

Inspector Browne: Did that coincide with his statement on the certificate that he was a bachelor?

M. Hutchings (warmly): Do not answer, madam. We will clear this up at the Assizes.

Inspector Browne: Have you been getting an Army separation allowance?

Witness: Yes.

Frederick Horner, registrar, gave evidence to the effect that prisoner gave notice for the marriage to take place on January 3rd, 1914, describing himself as a bachelor. Three successive dates were fixed for the marriage to Miss West, and eventually they were married by license at his office on June 8th.

P.C. Marshall said he received prisoner in custody at Greenwich. In reply to the charge prisoner said: I honestly believed by what I was told by a man named Williams, in the Dorset Regiment, that my wife was dead——

Mrs Ferry (interposing from the back of the witness box): If so, you might have come to look for your children.

Prisoner (continuing): Believing myself to be a free man I was married upon coming to Newton.

Prisoner was committed for trial, and Mr. Hutchings asked that the bail might be reduced. Being in the Army prisoner was not likely to run away.

Captain Arden, adjutant of prisoner's regiment, said the accused had a good character during his service in the A.S.C. He would hold himself responsible for this appearance at the Assizes.

Inspector Browne: Could you prevent him deserting?

Captain Arden: No; I could not.

Mr Hutchings: Oh, this is bitter! I never heard the equal of it.

Inspector Browne said he understood there was something in prisoner's previous service—

Mr. Hutchings: Your are trying to fling a bit of dirt.

The Inspector: N, Sir; we have not started slinging dirt from this side yet.

Mr. Hutchings: Bah! You are not fit to be a policeman!

After a retirement the Bench fixed the recognisances at prisoner himself in £25, and two sureties of £10, Captain Arden offering to become one of the sureties.

ANOTHER BIGAMY CHARGE.

Herbert Edward Ferry, 34, soldier, entered a plea of not guilty to an indictment charging him with feloniously marrying Minnie Kathleen West, at Newton Abbot, on the 8th June, 1915, his former wife, Alice Maud Mary, to whom he was married on the 20th December, 1903, being then alive. Mr. Dummett was counsel for the prosecution, and Mr. Robinson defended the accused.

Mr. Dummett stated that prisoner, who had previously been in the Army, rejoined on the outbreak of the war. His first marriage took place at Melcombe Regis, Weymouth, to Alice Maud Mary White. He lived with her nine or ten years, and there were two children. About three years ago he deserted his wife, and since then she had not seen or heard of him until quite recently. She had kept along as best as she could, and her children had been supported by the Guardians. At the beginning of this year she got to hear that her husband was fighting in Flanders, and she was told that he was married to someone else. The Poor-law officials mad inquiries, and it was ascertained that the man had gone through a form of marriage with Miss West on the 8th June, 1915, at Newton Abbot. Prisoner seemed to have become acquainted with the second woman very shortly after he deserted his real wife, and they were engaged shortly after. Counsel understood that the defence was that prisoner was told by a chum in France that his wife was dead, and he therefore thought he was a free man. Curiously enough, the chum was said to be dead. Before the war started he gave notice to the Registrar that he was going to marry Miss West, and he described himself as a bachelor. That was before any chum could have told him that his wife was dead. That first notice was not acted upon, and it was not until a further notice was given that the marriage took place. It was also significant that instead of describing himself as a widower he stated that he was a bachelor.

Alice Maud Mary Ferry, the real wife, gave evidence. She stated that she kept a lodging-house at Dorchester.

In cross-examination, witness denied that what she wanted was the separation allowance, and not the society of her husband.

Counsel: Have you been guilty of acts of violence towards him? Witness: No. If I have I have had provocation, he has served me so bad.

Minnie West, who is living at 12, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, said she met prisoner at Weymouth in September, 1912. She was there as governess with people who were on a holiday. He later told her he could not marry her as he had a wife living. She went to live with prisoner, and he rejoined the Army on the outbreak of war.

Cross-examined: When the first banns were put up there was no intention of going through a form of marriage. It was her fault that the banns were put up because she wanted to be able to say it had been done. In 1915 he came home from Flanders and told her his wife was dead. He said a chum had told him it was a fact, and that she died in Dorchester. They were then married in the full belief that his wife was dead.

Frederick Horner, Supt. Registrar of Marriages at Newton Abbot, gave evidence as to the two certificates that were sent in by prisoner.

P.C. Marshall, who took prisoner into custody, said prisoner told him a soldier named Williams assured him his wife was dead.

Prisoner, sworn, said he joined the Army in 1898, and bought his discharge in 1903. He rejoined on the outbreak of the war and was invalided home. He was under orders to go out again. His first marriage was a very unhappy one. On two occasions his wife took up a knife for him, and on another she hit him on the head with a plate. The cause of his leaving her was her treatment of him. He lived with Miss West till the outbreak of the war, but she knew he could not marry her until his wife was dead. He described himself on the certificate as a bachelor for Miss West's sake. It was in the advance on Mons that a man in the Dorsets, named Williams, told him his wife was dead. This was said in the presence of another soldier.

Asked by Mr. Dummett why he did not make inquiries at Dorchester, prisoner said he was in a bad state of health. He also admitted he did not tell Miss West about the information he had received although he was writing to her. He did not tell her until he came home in May.

Pte. McGowan, of the A.S.C., said he was present in Flanders when prisoner was told of the death of his wife.

Mr. Robinson said prisoner ought, perhaps, to have made stricter inquiries, but it must be remembered he was a sick man.

Prisoner was found guilty. He was given a good character in regard to his service in the Army.

His lordship passed sentence of six months' hard labour.

The bigamy story is undoubtedly complicated. What seems to have happened is that Ferry's first wife married him bigamously, and then he himself committed bigamy at his third marriage. Additionally, given the middle names of his first wife, is it possible he actually married her twice, under different aliases? Perhaps that's too much of a stretch, and it's not required to account for the two bigamous marriages.

30, Speldhurst Road,

Bedford Park,

Chiswick

London W

19.9.1916

Dear Sir

I am writing you re my war badge which is being issued to men who have been invalided home from France. I was invalided home in May 1915 & am now employed on Munitions. My number was MoS/2300. Pte. H. Ferry. A.S.C. M.T.

Yours Respectfully

         H. Ferry

WEDDING.—A pretty wedding was solemnised on Wednesday of last week at Holy Trinity Church, Weymouth, the Rev. R.C. Abbott officiating. The contracting partners were Mr Thomas Henry Swan, eldest son of the late Mr Thomas Swan, of Stretham, and Miss Kate Madeline Ferry, fourth daughter of Mr. Alfred James Ferry, of Barkly House, Weymouth. Mr. Ernest J. Swan (brother of the bridegroom) acted as best man. The happy pair were the recipients of many valuable presents.