PEACE OR DRINK

Evening Star, Issue 15479, 29 April 1914, Page 8

PEACE OR DRINK

AN UNHAPPY FAMILY. When Helen Campbell Mathieson was given an opportunity to speak before Mr H. Y, Wiadowson, S.M., at the Police Court this morning, she demonstrated clearly that she could hold her own in conversation anywhere. She talked so fluently, indeed, that the court orderly had to remove her in order to obtain a reasonable silence.

The woman, who appeared to be excited, was charged with procuring liquor on April 4 from some person unknown. Challenged on the offence, she said : “ I am guilty, your lordship ; but where did I get the drink from: From my husband, and from nobody else.” She proceeded to give her opinions of her husband, and had to be persuaded to observe silence. Sub-inspector Fouhy said that as her husband would be charged with procuring liquor for her, perhaps it would bo better to take both cases together. Tho Bench concurred, and Roderick Mathieson was charged with procuring liquor for Helen Campbell Mathieson (his wife), and with inciting or assisting her to drink liquor. He pleaded not guilty. This apparently overwhelmed his wife, for she ejaculated, sarcastically; ‘‘Not guilty, by !” Constable Mtinro said that in North-east Valley on the 4th inst. Mrs Mathieson who was intoxicated, accosted him, and complained of having been assaulted by her husband, who, she said, gave her.the drink. She said he had brought home a jar, and he would not let her take it from him. Witness went to her home, but her husband had gone, and there was no jar there.

Mrs Matheson was called to give evidence. She said : “ I want protection and peace.” Looking towards her husband she said: “If I was over there I would knock your head off for you! I have suffered too much.”

Mathieson indignantly objected to these remarks, and withheld consent to his wife giving evidence. Roderick Mathieson, 14 years of age, said his father brought drink home on Saturday night. It was in a jar. He had not seen his mother drinking in the bouse lately. His father often brought drink home, and sometimes his mother drank in company with his father. At this stage Mrs Mathieson had to bo ejected. Corroborative evidence _ was given by Alfred Mathieson, a boy six years of ape." Constable Mtinro, recalled, said the children were untidily dressed, and the house was disorderly.

The male "defendant admitted having taken liquor into th© house, but denied having given it to his wife. The Magistrate said he had granted, a prohibition order against Mrs Mathieson. on her husband’s application. He would certainly not have don© such a thing if ho had" known drink was to be brought into the house by the husband. This wa« most unfair to her, and ho (the Magistrate) said ho could not speak too strongly of the husband's conduct. Ho could not convict. —In reply to the _ sub-inspector’s application for an order against Mathieson, the Magistrate said he could not do so, but the man ought to take an order against himself. "Mrs Mathieson was convicted and disch arsed. the Magistrate severely admonishing her.