Cairneyhill Bigamy

BRIDGE OF ALLAN GAZETTE, SATURDAY 5TH DECEMBER 1931

BIGAMY AT BANNOCKBURN – PRISON FOR FIFESHRIE MAN – ‘RUINED WOMAN’S LIFE’ SAYS SHERIFF – A REMARKABLE STORY

One of the most remarkable stories ever unfolded in a bigamy case heard in Stirling Sheriff Court was related on Thursday to Sheriff J Dean Leslie, when Walter Colquhoun, a Fifeshire man, appeared before him and pleaded guilty to having on 26th September, 1931, in the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Ninian, Quakerfield, Bannockburn, he being the lawful husband of Elizabeth McArthur or Colquhoun, Burnside Cottage, Cairneyhill, Fifeshire, went through a form of marriage with Grace McLaughlin, 22 Quakerfield, Bannockburn, and did cohabit with her as her husband.

An agent on accused’s behalf said he was a married man and had three children. He had never been away from his wife and they never had any differences. This was not going to make any difference to his wife and his children were fond of him.

Until a few months ago, accused was quite a respectable man and had always been a good worker. About six months ago he was successful in horse betting and got some money, and since then, his wife had informed him (the agent), he had been drinking rather heavily, and that had rather changed the man altogether.

PUBLIC HOUSE MEETING

In the month of August he came to the Bridge of Allan Games, and after the games he came into Stirling, and there went into a public-house where he met a man whom he had never seen before.

This was how the man’s troubles started through accidentally entering a public-house. Here he met the brother-in-law of the woman he ultimately entered into the bigamous marriage with. This man confided to Colquhoun that he had a sister-in-law of marriageable age, and he suggested something of this kind, and Colquhoun in his drunken state gave some heed to this and promised to come and visit him at his house in Bannockburn. He did this a week later, and was duly introduced to this woman of forty-two or forty-three, who was a housekeeper at Dunblane. They went to the pictures that night. On the very first night the question of marriage was discussed. The matter was practically cut and dried with this woman through the instrumentality of her brother-in-law. In answer to the Sheriff, the agent said the woman had not been married before. The thing was suggested to her by her brother-in-law, and Colquhoun was stupid enough in his drunken state to give heed to this and got sort of drawn into it. The marriage was discussed the very first night and the time fixed and in a matter of three or four weeks the marriage took place.

QUESTION ABOUT WITNESSES

The agent said that the proclamation of banns took place both in Bannockburn and in Dunfermline. The witnesses were required to certify to the registrar that Colquhoun was a single man. Two of his friends did that. Colquhoun had informed him (his agent) that these two friends knew perfectly well that he was a married man. The agent said the brother-in-law and this woman were to some extent to blame because they knew absolutely nothing about this man and asked nothing about him.

The Fiscal (Mr C C Cheyne) said accused was married in 1923 to his lawful wife and had three of a family. He came to Stirling in July, and met a man in a public-house. Colquhoun told the man his name was John Scott, and that he was a stone miner, unmarried and living in lodgings in Dunfermline, and was retired. He asked the man if he could introduce him to a woman. A few days later the woman was introduced to him, and he still maintained his name was John Scott. They agreed to get married, and the girl gave up her situation. After the marriage they went to Belfast for their honeymoon.

In answer to the Sheriff the Fiscal said he would make inquiries about the two men who made the false declaration for the publication of the banns.

Sheriff Dean Leslie, in passing sentence, said accused had gone about this in a most deliberate way. He had ruined the life of this poor woman.

Sentence of six months’ imprisonment was passed.