MAGISTERIAL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8622, 25 October 1893, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTOHURCH. TUESDAY, OcTOnKB 24. (Before A. Lean, R. Wcstenra, and R. P. Lonargan, Esqrs., J.P.».) Drunkenness.—John Gibb was charged with drunkenness and using obscene language in Colombo road, Sydenham. Ho admitted the charge of drunkenness. Both charges were proved, and the Bench fined tho accused 10s, or forty-eight hours for drunkenness, and sentenced him to fourteen days' hard labour for using obscene language. A first offender for drunkenness was fined os.

Alleoed Stabm.vu.— Charles Harrington was charged on remand with wilfully and maliciously wounding his wife, Sarah Harrington, with a kuife, on October 2lßt. Inspector Broham prosecuted ; Mr Donnelly appeared for the accused. Tha prosecutrix stated that her husband on Friday returned from work at Cheviot. On Saturday morning he was drinking and went out and got some boer. Witness went out with a girl named Louisa Newman, who lodged with her. Some words took place between witness and her husband. Afterwards they went back to tho house, and the accused threw witness down several times. At length he got her down, knelt on her. pulled out his pocket-knife, and attempted to cut open her dress at the neck. Witness put up her baud to prevent him, aud got her finger cut. Ihe accused in endeavoring to cut witness's dress caught her under the arm with the kuife. Tho wound was an inch deep, but not very wide. Witness struggled and got away. She wont to tho house of Mrs Vigis, ou tho other Bide of tho street, and afterwards was takeu to tho Hospital. Tho dress produced was tho ouo witness wore at the tinm of tho assault. Tho only reason witness could ;>.«>'£u ior tho assault was that on Friday n\... i her husband complained of her b\...;j cool towards him. They had three children. Crossexamined—They had been married for seven years, and the accused had never beaten her before. Ho was somewhat under the influence of liquor when the assault took place. From tho manner iv which tho kuife was used witness believed tho cut was accidental. Louisa Newman and Emily Vigis gave corroborative evidence of tho assault. Constable Gough stated that the accused when arrested denied the charge, but afterwards said that he pulled his knifo suddenly out of his son's hand and accidentally struck his wifo in the breast. Dr. F. Moßettn Stewart described the nature of the wound received by Mrs Harrington. Tho wound waa not serious, and the only danger was its proximity to oue of tho leading blood vessols. Mr Donnelly addressed tho Bench, and submitted that there was no evideuco to support a charge of wilfully wounding, and contended that tho accused was only cutting his wife's dress off, aud accidentally inflicted the wound. Tho Bench committed the accused for trial, fixing bail at £100, and two sureties at £50 each.

(Bofore R. Beetham, Esq., R.M.) Civil Cases.—Judgments wero given for defendant iv Gibson v Johnson, £4 2s 6d, and Fergan v Johnson, £4 12s 3d, claims for services as bailiffs assistants, the evidence in which had been heard on October 19th, Mr Donnelly was for plaintiffs, Mr Bruges for defendant. Judgments went for plaintiff, by defaul. with costs in Harris v Barry, £21 15s ; Izard v Bulling, £5 15s; Johnston v Hislop, £14 6s 6d; Kidd v Cuthbertson was adjourned till October 26th.