A PAIR OF CALLOUS BRUTES

Evening Star, Issue 15074, 4 January 1913, Page 11

A PAIR OF CALLOUS BRUTES

At ths recent Durham Assizes Samuel Curry (a fanner, of Thorpe Thewles, near Stockton) and his wife (Eliza Ann) -were sentenced respectively to 12 and 18 months' imprisonment for cruelly ill-treating their domestic, Dora Johnson, Both wero found gvdlty of doing the girl grievous bodily harm. Some extraordinary allegations against the two prisoners -were .made during the hearing'of the case. Counsel said the girl, who was 19 years of age, went in June last into the service of the defendants. She -was then a healthy girl, but when she returned to her home'die was a physical and nervous WTCck. and her life at" that time was actually thought to be. in danger. At first she had been well treated bv the defendants, receiving proper food, and had. a good bed, but after six weeks s>lio gave notice to leave, and iLrs Curry woukl not accept it. The girl remained on, and then there was a complete change in the treatment she received. She was"thrashed every day with a whip over her arms and back, and across her legs and face. Once when working in the washhouse Mrs Curry laid her acraw the table, fastened her hands behind her hack, and struck her about half a_doze.ii times with a. stack pin. She also said in evidence that she had been struck with a carpet brush, a .saucepan, and an iron rod, and enca she was pushed into the fire and was burned. She further said she had been hurled down a flight of staira

Dr Buchanan said he found the girl in a very emaciated condition when he was called in to ceo her. Her lwnes looked as though they would protrude through hrr skin, and she had a large number of bruises, and was suffering from marks of violence. She was in a. dirty condition, but it was, in his opinion, impossible for her to wash herself on account of the hard nnd cracked condition of the skin on her hands, which would not onlv hurt her jands, but would be likely to'scratch trio skin of her body.