Richard Tohsha or Touche (Lettish), of 18 Range Road, appeared before M. de Jo Prade and Magistrate Nieh at the French Mixed Court on Thursday, on charges of omsking a false—statement to a priest at Holy Trinity Church on September 28 last that he wes a French citizen, which statement resulted in a cere-many of marriage between Tohsha and Nina, Verbitzkaia; of promising her legally to marry her according to the laws of France and thereby deceiving her and refusing to marry her legally; and of stealing a dress, the property of the complainant. A fourth charge, preferred by the French police, of impersonating a French citizen, was dismissed and the case adjourned.
My, A. N. Fishman, instructed by Miss Verbitzkaia, prosecuted.
Rev. C. E. Spencer, Sub Dean of Holy Trinity Church, gave evidence as to marrying the couple. He was closely questioned by Mr. Fishman on the legality of the ceremony.
My, Fishman—Did you know that the defendant was a Lett?
Witness—He stated he was French, and I thought he was of French origin.
In further reply to Mr. Fishman, witness said he remembered scerne some blue forms produced by de~ fendant. The item regarding nationality was filled in in French. Ip marrying British subjects marriage at the Cathedral was legal, a signed statement being sent to Great Britain.
My, Fishman remarked that if parties wishing to be married had no certificates from their respective consulates, one of them might perhaps be already married.
Witness agreed that it might be better if this fact had been taken into consideration in the present case. What he was always mainly concerned with was whether the parties were Christian.
Mr. W. W. Bartlett, principal of the Shanghai-American School, where defendant has been employed, said that the latter made no secret of his nationality. At first witness believed him to be a Frenchman and later on learnt th he Was a Lett. This was three da after the marriage took place, at the home of the married couple.
A Polish boarding house keeper gave evidence that the defendant and his wife both stayed with him. They stated that they were French.
Defendant was questioned by Mr. Fishman, who asked: Did you deliver a. speech on Armistice Day, in which you said you had fought in the French Army against the Germans?
Defendant—How can you prove such a thing? 2 Mr,. Fishman—Will you just answer to the Court.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.