LOW, LAZY LILLEY.

NZ Truth, Issue 106, 29 June 1907, Page 6

LOW, LAZY LILLEY.

Starved His Wife and -Child.

He is Sentenced for Theft.

.• Constable . MoClinchey,. of St. Albanrf, ; Christphurch, found a deplorable state of things existing m a house m his district the other day. A woman named Lilley, who has a waster for, a husband, had not long previously, given .birth to a child, which was m a frightful condition owing to being improperly looked after ; the mother was m a bad. way, there was no tucker m the house), and /the neglectful husband, i .John Lilley, was away. This specimen of humanity was arrested and charged at court this week with providing the infant with insufficient nourishment and treating it m such a neglectful way, as to cause it serious injury. He pleaded not guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily. The first witness called was Mary Hooper, a middle-aged woman who lives with her husband. For six seven 1 weeks she lived- in the same house as the fellow Lilley, occupying a front and back room". She was present when Mrs Lilley gave birt^h to the child 1 , which looked fine and healthy m witness' opinion. 'Shortly afterwards, however, the baby > seemed to be falling away. It was getting thin, and sores commenced to appear on its head. The witness saw Mrs Lilley every day ;< she was very weak through / " NOT HAVING' ENOUGH NOURISHMENT, Told the accused that his wife didn't have jajpugli nourishment for the. baby. . , ' . Sub-Inspector Dwyer ; What does he do with Ms earnings ? Is he a sober man ?— Well, I have seen him the worse for liquor sometimes. What fooid did Mrs Lilley have while she was laid up ?— She only had two chops/ During what period ?— Ten days. Her father sent her a fowl, and. the accused sent it along to his own mother. ' The' police had taken charge of the infant, and sent for Dr. Symes. In Ins evidence the doctor stated that the infant had apparently been neglected.; It had rather a bad skin eruption on the head, was emaciated and m a very dirty condition.:, tie didn't think it had. foeen taken "proper care of. Th© child had. been improperly fed and wasn't kept clean. The doctor went on to .say "that he had seen Mrs Lilley,, who seemetl ; to be rather WEAK IN HER MIND, an 3 was certainly m a weak state of toealWij iTlie, house, was -sin. & iyery,

'■ '■ '■■ ■ ■ r -.. , ;^ugs'-y*#* > -' "■■■■■-•."■ dirty and .Unti-d^ colitlitibn. When Constable McCHncbey, went along to Lilley 's house he found the infant iVery, scantily clad lying' oh a sofa,, and what clothes it had on were very, much soiled. The mother was m foed m. iihe next room. Ther, were only a few, scones m the house, and Mrs Lilley said she had only half a scone io eat that day., The constable didn't see the accused that, day, but did on the following.: He worked at carpentering,, and his wages were two guineas a week. Lilley told him that he didn't know that 'his wife was m such a state. There was no other evidence, and -the accused was asked what he had to say. He said Ihat he did his best for the child. As soon as his attention was called to its condition he sent for a doctor. What about that fowl that was sent to 'her., and which you took away ?— She had a fowl already -cook ing, ' and said that she didn't wan the two, as one wouldn't keep. The only witness that accused could call Was his sister, but she hadn't been subpoened, and the case was adjourned until Saturday morning. It transpired that- Lilley, who is A LOW-LOOKING INDIVIDUAL, has ibeeh acting the thief instead of getting, graft and allowing, his wife and children to starve. Other charges were preferred against him, and he admitted stealing, a gent's bike, Valued at i-8, the property, of Thomas (Edward Hammond. Then there was another information accusing- him of . pegging tim-ber to the value of 16/, and he admitted this also* A third charge, that of getting away with, a carpenter's saw from a Linwood carpenter, he denied, however, and evidence was called m proof. The owner of the saw missed quite a host of articles previously,, but 'didn't mi:«s the saw till later 0n.,. The accused said.- that, he got the article from his brother-in-law, and' the oase was adjourned! until Satur-* day to allow of thait person's attendance. For stealing the bike the Bench sentenced accused to two months' imprisonment, and. for ' the ftimb'er, d.4 days'.