GIRL THRASHED WITH A BROOMSTICK.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 106, 5 May 1923, Page 19

GIRL THRASHED WITH A BROOMSTICK.

ASKED TO BE BEATEN TO "MAKE HER BETTEK." A girl's many thrashings with a broomstick were described at Lanchester I'olice Court, when Henry Craggs, a Satley farmer, and his housekeeper, LJly 'Ilerdman. were charged with an aggravated assault on Mary Geddes. a servant at the farm. Craggs declared that tue girl asked him to thrash her, and she admitted this, saving: "I said, 'Give mc a good thrashing: it will make mc a better girl." Evidence was given that at 3 o'clock at 4, and again at 0 o'clock, on February 27 Geddes was thrashed with a liroomsticK. After supper she was nga'.u beaten and threatened with further punishment. The' following morning 6he ran avny from i:i< ; farm, and -went to the '■, fti:sv linnie* at Chester, where she had |iri". iou-i.i- lived. She arrived there in an •■ .:i;i-:s, L -<1 i-onil- ,- ---tlon, and a doctor, in evidence. aaW tlif girl's body wafi covered with bruises an.l was most painful. Geddes and Craggs chased her round !n----house and rnuvd her to He across a table while he thrashed her with a stick, because she had not milked the cows properly. The womau Ilerdman also struck her. witness added, because she d!<l not wnsii up properly, and she admitted not uavlns done everything she was told to •!.>. Craggs and Herdman were each lined £20.