News extracts: July 23, 1822: Bigamy: Tobias Burke, Mary Ann Bruce, & former Miss Butler
Alison Kilpatrick
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.
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