London, Mar, 21.
'John Digby Palmer, a 92-year-old quartermaster in the mercantile marine, who posed asa naval commander and deecived™a Shanghai nurse, Miss Hilda Robson, last summer, was sentenced at the Old Bailey to-day to five years' penal servitude. On hearing the sentence Palmer collapsed in the dock.
Evidence revealed that Palmer married in 1920 and had two children, He obtained £300 from Nurse Robson, The latter, giving evidence, said that she was not able to return to Shanghai owing to the scandal.
Palmer is bitterly ashamed. "Miss Robson is one of that best women-{ have ever met," he said.
Palmer was sentenced for digmously marrying Miss Robson, who only discovered that he was already married when she came to London.
Mar, 22.
'The Recorder to-day reduced Palmer's sentence to four years' penal servitude, stating that he had given the sentence further consideration. While retaining his view as regards the heinousness of the offence, the Recorder declared he has always endeavoured to err on the side of merey.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.