ASSAULTED WIFE

Evening Star, Issue 23451, 16 December 1939, Page 20

ASSAULTED WIFE

CHARGE AGAINST HUSBAND “ NOTH CQLIDIt THE FACTS " The story of a wife, who protected herself by hurling boots at her. husband, and of a husband who belaboured‘his wife with the buckle ; end of ;a - strap was unfolded- in.the Police.'Court yesterday when James Nicol pleaded guilty to assaulting- his , wife ■at their faoma on the night of Deceinlier 3- l*sti i’i.Mp H. W, Bundle, 5.M.,, who heard the case, adjourned - the matter- until Moriday, suggesting that in .the meantime the wife take out_ separation proceedings, as it was obvious-the couple criuld not live together. His chief concern, was- the care of the children, he added. , Sergeatit, Johnsen, who said that the complainant had- left home at noon, on December 2 and returned at.: 11 p.ml to find the door locked. Accused had opened "the-door, and'when complainant entered!the kitchen he ■ struck , her. with the . buck! o* end of a strap, afterwards throwing her to the floor and thrashing - her. The ittjnries had'.not’been very serious, said the- Sergeant,- though- the - woman- had received hospital treatment. She. had, however, not been long out of the Hospital after a serious operation when th® assault was committed. .. The wif® had made ithe complaint. _ Accused' said, that his wife habitually drank and kept late hours, and. resented .being “ told - off.” . To the magistrate, the wife said that she and her husband lived together but did not speak to each other. Her husband was “.always spying on her through ' keyholes.” She ' admitted “ taking a drink occasionally at functions.”' ’ ' r . An adjournment was, taken m order to see if the' differences between th® couple could not be.adjusted. _ i On December-, 2 his wife came:in a® 11 p.ml Nicol'further' -stated in evidence when the hearing was resumed* He. had the door locked to check, her time, of return. When he asked her where she had beep she’ told him ta mind ' his own business, ’ and hit him over the hea'd with a shovel. The week before she had cut his head open._ ‘ To Sergeant Johnsen, Nicol said h® was in bed .when his wife returned* •The strap produced, and which he used, was dy ing l in the room. It was the on® his wife used on the children. , • ■ Florence Margaret Nicol, the wife, in evidence said there had never been any happiness in the home since they, had.'been married. Nicol had twice put her in hospital.. When she returned''home- oh the:night«of December 2, she was just ! putting her parcel® on. the table when Nicol attacked her with the buckle end of the strap. Sh® did not fait him oyer the _ head wit a the’ shovel, but she did pick up th® kettle, which he-took from her. *■/ Asked by the Court what had happened the previous week when Nicol said his head- was cut open, the wife stated her husband was questioning he® little boy. When she told him.not ta he used ; some filthy language, and then ho picked up a pan of hot fat. She picked up a boot and threw it at him. She did riot know she could'throw sa straight, but- she hit him on the head* There followed a period of mutual recriminations between husband and wife,the one iix..thc box and the other from the dock. This occasioned Mr Bundle to remark that he was ribt going ta listen to their mutual recriminations. No doubt they were both lying. “II will put it this way,” he added, “ you are both colouring facts,” It was quite evident the parties could not live together, Mr Bundle said.: was .no use the matter going before conciliation. The parties would ' best be separated. He adjourned the matter until Monday to enable tbe wife to fil® separation, proceedings, and warned Nicol to keep away 1 from the home in the meantime.. “ I’m not concerned with either-of you,' Fiat'-with' the children,” be said. . , “ 1