A LADY HORSEWHIPPING HER GOVERNESS.

Evening Star, Issue 5589, 5 February 1881, Page 2 (Supplement)

A LADY HORSEWHIPPING HER GOVERNESS.

At a special sitting of the Divisional Magistrates at Bedford an extraordinary* charge was heard, when Mr* Annie Karslake, of Turvey Cottage, wife of Mr Edward Kent Karslake,. Q.C., was summoned for unlawfully

assaulting Miss Rosa Pari by, governess, on November 6. Mr Clare-prose-cuted, and Mr Mitchell appear*. <$ for the defence. The facts of the casetranspired in Mr Clare's opening statement ; but before the charge canio on the complainant went into hysterics,. and was obliged to be taken out of theCourt. Having somewhat recovered, Mr Claro said it was a most painful cage, and the complainant had suffered geverely from the effects of the assault. Miss Parlby was a highly-educated young lady, and in. August last answered an advertisement in one of the London morning papers for an Italian lady to come to Turvey Cottage as companion to Miss Kat slake-, and to teach her Italian, French, German, music, and singing. In consequence of that advertisement she went to Turvey Cottage, and entered into an engagement for six months—which time would not expire until February next. The fact of the assault he believed would not be disputed. For some time Miss Parlby had been in great bodily fear of her mistress, and on the previous Saturday, about midday, she was proceeding to her room. In order to get there she had to proceed along a passage, in which was a door leading from a dressing-room. As she was going along the passage, much to her astonishment, Mrs Karslake, the defendant, ran out of the dressing-room with a whip in her hand, with which she struck Miss Parlby across the neck. She also seized her, pushed her uy> against a cheffonier, and held her there, the complainant being much injured in consequence, and was still suffering severely. She screamed for assistance, and Miss Karslake came to her rescue, and together they succeeded in holding Mrs Karslake for a few minutes until they thought she was quiet. However, as soon as they let go, Miss Parlby endeavored to get into her own room, which was close at hand, when tho defendant ran after her and.kicked her three successive times with much violence. The complainant was so much injured by this treatment that s&e could get no sleep for two nights, and she had been obliged to come there that day to seek protection of the hvr. Mr Mitchell, for the def#«ce, said the com was a very painful one, but seeing from t&s letters fcbat had beea

written, and from the amount of feeling in tbe locality, ko had decided to plead guilty and admit the facts. He had practised in that Court for some years, but he had never had such a cruel, such a painful case to conduct before. He had, however, got his tongue tied, and he did not choose to say why. What fine the Bench chose to impose would be paid. The magistrates, after conferring together for a considerable time, agreed to bind over the defendant in her husband's recoguisanccs of LIOO to keep the peace for twelve months. The case has excited a great deal of interest in the neighborhood, the defendants occupying a high position, and it is considered strange that the case should have come on at a special aesaiou. No persons were in court except the parties engaged and two representatives of the Press, who, directly the case was over, were ordered to leave the court—London paper.