A Matrimonial Romance.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 498, 26 August 1890, Page 3

A Matrimonial Romance.

A NEW ZEALANDER IN TROUBLE. A remarkable case of what appears to have been mistaken identity came before the Bow street (London) Ccurt last month. It appears that for some time back the Metropolitan police ha v e been hunting for a person named Dr William Ewart Moran, who was wanted for bigamy. This Moran, it appeared, had gone into the matrimonial line in a wholesale way, and is alleged to have no less than five other wives. In the year 1887 he married a Miss Emma Elizabeth Figg, who formerly kept a young ladies’ school, and became acquainted with Moran by means of the Matrimonial News. He can.e to Winchester, where she lived, and saw Miss Figg. Buring the day he had made himself very popular in the town, and in the evening held a regular levee, made sundry speeches, and at last wound up by introducing the name of Miss Figg, upon whose charms he di'ated, expressing surprise that she should be left to pine alone, seeing what a good wife she would make, and what a good home it would be for any man that would like to have it. “ Why she has money as well as a schod,” be said, •• and yet there is not a man in Winchester who has

THS PLUCK TO MABRY HER.” After dilating in this style fur some time, at last he exclaimed in the warmth of his benevolent heart, “ I tell you wbat it is, gentlemen. If money is the object; if there is any man among you who will marry that girl—that poor, lonely, creature—at once, I will give him another £5OO myself I ’ The ma; - tied men laughed, but not so the single ones, who went home to dream of the fortune which each already considered to be his. Next morning several came prepared to accept the doctor’s generous offer, but they were all too early for the latter, who had not yet >isen. At length the doctor began to bestir himself and rang for the landlord, to whom he aga-n broached the subject of Miss Figg, and said that after consideration he had decided to take her himself, and instructed the landlord to get some one to make the necessary arrangements. The lady, being consulted, was perfectly willing, but an obstacle which threatened to stop the course of events, was that Miss Figg insisted on being MARRIED TN THE CHURCH,

a thing which her admirer decidedly objected to; at length however his objections were overcome, and the pair were legally married, the wedding being a very popular one. He started at once to realize her property, their intention being to leave the district. He became possessed of nearly £4OO of hers. They made preparations to leave for France, the doctor asserting his waa the station, he hiving himself arrived from New Zealand a few days before. They engaged a lady's maid, and as Mrs Moran had some money matters to Bettie," it was arranged that she should meet her husband at Charing Cross, but although •he went there every night for a fortnight he never turned up, having in the meanwhile left for the continent. Mrs Moran went to the police station, where she swore an information for desertion, and as the description tallied with that of a man already wanted, the Inspector had but little doubt that he was one and theaame man. Afterwards the deluded wife CAXI TO IVCXLAWD, where she is said to be now living, and is stated to have married again. 11 January of this year a Miss Stone was married to a Mr Egan, and it is asserted that she was deserted and her money taken under circumstances somewhat similar to the min ner pursued by Dr Moran. Mrs Egan placed ber complaint in the bands of the police, and the description tallied so exactly that ihe Inspector made sure that tbi, was the man that was wanted in the other cases, and took steps to secure him by strategy. Egan was accordingly arrested, and charged nominally with stealing £304, the money of Emma Elizabeth Merer. Un his arrest Egan pretested that bis name was not Moran. At the polios station Mrs Egan soon identified him as her husband, and embracing him iu an affectionate manner, exclaimed

“ COMS TO MY ABM 3, MT D4BLINO, tod let me kiss you, dear." Another lady who recogoined him was Mrs Parker, sister of Mrs Moran, Another wife of the supposed Moran identified him as the man who bad married her under the name of Veevers, Other witnesses (ten in all) also identified Egan as Moran, and compared with the letter's photograph there was a great resemblance, Egan said that his name was Sidney David Egan, and made the following statement “ I joined the Eoyal Engineers in February, 1874, >n the name of David Egen, and I was then passed on to the 39-h company of the School of Military Engineers at Cha-ham. I served on board Her Majesty's ship Hood for submarine miring, and was dircharged on the 18th of June, 1877. In September, 1877, I sailed for New Zealand and landed at Wellington in December, 1877. I can give tbe names of my shipmates who sailed with me, and who also saw me hundreds of times at that period while I was in the co'ony. One of my mates was named Bethel ; he saw me there in tbe colonies, and I believe he is now io London, as I saw him recently, and I believe he could be found. It is about two months ago since I saw him. I was in tbe Government (New Zealand) service four different times, both on the railways and also in the torpedo boats. I bad charge of the first two boats that came to Wellington, and I was recommended for the appointment bv Maj or Gantley. cf the JBoyal Engineers. Sir William Jervoie, then Governor of New Zealand, some two and e—half years ago inspected a model boat which I built, together with a model which I patented io New Zealand, and afterwards brought to England on the New Shipping Company's steamer the Buapebu. I left Wellington on the 13;h June, 1889, end landed in the Boyal Albert docks on the 28 h Joly, 1889. I came home as an assistant engineer on her, and signed the ship's articles at Port Lyttelton. During the time I am said to have got married in the name Of Moran I was in the Stockade (prison) at Wanganui, New Zealand. waiting for bail there for a breach of the pesee. I was there in February pnd March of the year I am said to have got married in England. I could have provided substantial bail of my own, but my money was lodged in the funds, and for private reasons I would not ask anyone to become ball. Sir Julius Vogel (as well as Lady Vogel) when he was Prime Minister of New Zealand, often travelled on the boat of which I was chief engineer. I have been to

see him since I came home, at his residence, St. Marga-et‘s maneions, Victoria street. Admiral Fairfax, when in command of the Australian rquadroo, also knew me going on board bis flagship the Orlando in connection with my newly-invented • motor boat ’ for torpedo pnrporee. If I were free I should have very little difficulty in getting along, and in getting proof that I am not the man I am thought to be. I was neverout of Australian waters from 1877 till 1889.” It was farther stated that Egan had before leaving England married a Miss Spicer, who eame with him to Wellington in 1877. Aco-rding to Egan's version he di-eovered th’t she had already married a man named Standing, and in eonsrqaet.ee be instituted proceedings in New Zealand to dissolve the marriage. Either this was not suecest-fnl or else it does not agree with a further Statement made by him, that he was divorced from Spicer in July or August, 1887, at West, land, Mai land New South Wales, and it would be decidedly speedy work if.ho were in Wanganui" gaol in March 188?; as he piiagee, to procure a divorce three or four fßbnths afterwards in another colony. However that may be Egan acknowledges tn have married bis present, and he says, only wife, in January of this year. They lived together at various pieces until his wife left him, BnbeejUemly he was arrested for assaulting his wife, and in default of finding sureties was imprisoned for sig weeks, until lately whin he was released, TH* ACOUMD X>I=CHABGID. The matter Was before the Court several times until bn the Sth oi July he was finally brought, when counsel for the prosecution said that prosecutrix was somewhere in the colonies and her address could not be found. In fact she had manied again apd S’ ’ efl ta-enneeat the pas’. They had not Able to trace any of the notes into the la of the accuMO, and as regards the Charge of bigamy there was a confusion as to

his id entity, and the prosecution were unable to prove tbatiheaccuHp.il was aheady married when he married Miss Stone. The accused was thereupon discharged. Egan’s solicitor produced a letter from the N.Z. Shipping Co. stating that on June 4, 1889, a man who gave the name of S. D. Egan signed articles as assistant engineer on board the Ruapehu, and was discharged in London on 23rd July 1889.

Egen, as he spells his name, pronounces it Ejen, and strongly dislikes to be called Egan.