SHOCKING VITRIOL-THROWING CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9160, 15 September 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

SHOCKING VITRIOL-THROWING CASE.

STRONG REMARKS BY JUSTICE GRANTHAM.

At Manchester Assizes a few days ago, Mr. | Justice Grantham had before him <i labourer named John Mills, who was charged with throwing vitriol on Alice Mills with intent to do her grievous bodilyharm. Prisoner and the woman had been living together, bub, finding that he had a wife alive, the woman said they must part. Nex tday the prisoner threw some vitriol over her, destroying her left, eye and disfiguring her for life. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and he then asked for mercy, because he had only recently came out of penal servitude. The Judge, in passing sentence, said : I should think there ?s no brute in the whole county of Lancaster so brutal as you are and so brutal as you have been, because this is net the first time you have committed an offenco exactly similar to this, and when you ask me to be merciful to you because you have only just come out of penal servitude, you surely must have forgotten altogether that I am aware of what that punishment was, for it is true you have just come out of penal servitude, for it is now ten years since you were sentenced for throwing corrosive fluid over your then wife. You ill-treated her exactly in the same way ; she also lost her eye, and was disfigured for life. It is also said that there is a charge of bigamy against you, but that ohence is a mere bagatelle when compared with this horrible crime. The least sentence I can pass upon you is one that will prevent you repeating that offence to any other poor woman who may be placed in your power. The sentence I pass upon you is that you bo kept in penal servitude for the rest of your life. ____________„_,