Names: Mr. Adolphus, Mr. Alley, Mary Ann Bruce, Mr. Bruce, Tobias Burke, Elizabeth Butler, Julia Butler Transcribed from the 23 July 1822 edition of The Strabane Morning Post, by permission of The British Library: Bigamy. A very interesting case of Bigamy was lately tried at the Old Bailey, London, in which Tobias Burke, a person described by Counsel as possessing the manners and general habits of a gentleman, and as being connected with a highly respectable family in Ireland, was charged with feloniously intermarrying with Mary Anne Bruce, his former wife being still living. It appeared that the prisoner, in May, 1813, was married to Miss Butler, the daughter of a respectable merchant in Cashel, by whom he had two children. The parties for some time resided in Dublin, where they failed in business, after which they went to England, and subsequently separated. Not long after this the prisoner, by effrontery and false representations, introduced himself into the family of Mr. Bruce; and the ultimate consequence was his marriage to Miss Bruce without her father's consent or knowledge, that gentleman having met the proposal with a decided negative. The report of a former marriage soon reached Mr. Bruce's ears, and, inquiry having been set on foot, the whole was discovered, and the first wife was traced to the poor-house of St. Pancrass [sic]. The first marriage was proved by Elizabeth Butler, sister to the prisoner's first wife, who swore, that the ceremoney [sic] was performed by a Roman Catholic priest, the prisoner professing himself to be of that communion, and joining in the Rosary. Miss Bruce proved the second marriage.--Mr. Adolphus, for the defence, produced several witnesses to prove that the prisoner was a protestant, and, among the rest, Edmund Burke, prisoner's brother, who deposed that he was a Catholic, but [that] prisoner was a protestant, that he dined with the parties the day on which the marriage was said to have taken place, and remained till 2 o'clock, and that nothing like a marriage had taken place in his presence. Mrs. Elizabeth and Julia Butler were then called, and swore positively that Edmund Burke was present at the whole ceremony, and gave his brother away, both being quite sober. Mr. Adolphus objected to the case going to jury, on the grounds that all marriages celebrated between a protestant and a papist, by a Romish Priest[,] was [sic] illegal and void. The objection was overruled, and the jury found the prisoner guilty. Mr. Alley then moved, that [Tobias] Burke should stand committed to Newgate for gross, wilful, and corrupt perjury. He was taken into custody accordingly. Next day he was brought up to plead to the indictment, and was ordered to find bail for his appearance at the next Sessions. ======================