At the Portsmouth Borough Court, on Wednesday last (before Messrs. Garrington, Emanuel, and Griffin), Henry George Penford, 29 years of age, was charged with feloniously intermarrying with Emma Angelina Ketchley, while his wife, Elizabeth Penford, was living.—

The prosecution was supported by Mr. G. H. King, solicitor, of Portsea. —Maria Spring, widow living at 3, Chequers'-yard, Uxbridge, deposed that in 1868 she was also living at Uxbridge, where the prisoner married her daughter, Elizabeth, on Christmas-day of that year. The prisoner married in the name of John Penford, and witness knew him as John Henry Penford. She was sure the prisoner was the same man. The prisoner lived with his wife up to the death of witness' husband in 1870, and the prisoner then sent his wife from Holloway to attend the funeral, promising to come himself in a day or two after. He, however, did not do so, and on the wife returning to her home she found the prisoner had gone away. Witness' daughter then returned to Uxbridge and lived with her to the time of her death, which took place on the 14th of May, 1875. Nothing had been heard of the prisoner since deserting his wife in the manner described.—

Harriet Brannon the wife of a labourer, of No. 6, Bennett's-yard' Uxbridge, a sister of prisoner's late wife, having given corroboration of the marriage, said that her sister died of consumption. The prisoner had never sent her sister anything towards her maintenance. They lived two or three months Uxbridge before going to Holloway. —

Emma Angelina Ketchley, at present a patient the Portsea Island Union, said she became acquainted with the prisoner May, 1871, and they were married on the 13th of August of that year, the prisoner representing himself as a bachelor. The marriage took place at the Parish Church of Portsea. They lived together until March, 1877 when the prisoner deserted her at Croydon. She had had three children by the prisoner, and they were all now living.—

John Restall a timber foreman, living in Forbury-road, Southsea, deposed to witnessing the second marriage, and to having attested the register. —

Detective Harry King deposed to having apprehended the prisoner on the previous Saturday and on charging him with the bigamy, he replied "Elizabeth Penford is dead."—

The prisoner, addressing the Magistrates, said "I hope you will have mercy on me, as I have already had three months in gaol with hard labour." (The prisoner had been prosecuted by the Portsea Guardians for deserting his family.)—

The Magistrates said it was out of their power to exercise mercy. They committed him for trial at the next Hampshire County Assizes.