A CONSUMMATE CUR.

NZ Truth, Issue 198, 3 April 1909, Page 5

A CONSUMMATE CUR.

THE BOXING PROFESSOR'S 'APPY 'OME. Dennison Delivers Stoush to His Spouse. A Brutal Blackguard's Playfulness.

James Dennison is a clicker m the boot trade- at Christchurch when he is m work, and has done pretty well, from all accounts, during the eleven years of his . married misery, although himself and the missus seem to have led a cat-and-dog life. The matrimonial warfare culminated m a pitched battle m the S.M. Court on Tuesday, when Hanna (the missus aforesaid) mobilised her Dreadnoughts and completely routed the enemy who looked as though he was glad to, get routed under the peculiar circs. The lady was sponsored by- Mr Hunter, and told Magistrate Bishop that hubby had been persistently cruel to her during eleven years and a half of connubial infelicity. He struck her six weeks after he married her, she said, and during the past six months he had planted his dirty left on her countenance on at least four occasions. Just after Christmas HE SMOTE HER ON THE OPTIC and knocked her down. Then he picked her up and hurled her into. "a. chair and swore ' horribly at her. He called her a blanky blanky. Likewise he. kicked her, so that she had to go to consult Dr. Thacker concerning her injuries. .:HUbbytaught boxing m his spare • time m the winter, and was keeping fit by practising on the missus. On the Saturday before the woman left him on account of his brutality, the monster put an arm around her neck, and, clutching her by the jaw, smasher her gold-mounted teeth. He picked quarrels with her, and was always knocking her about. Six months ago he thumped her on the kisser, and, picking up some fried fishr which she had cooked for his breakfast^ hurled it at her. He wanted eggs, he" said. He locked her out frequently, tyice within the last six months. On the night of the fish incident she found the' door barred against her and, sought snelter with a friend. He, used to drag her' out of bed m the morning by the hair of the head,, and. grabbed her hair at other odd times. He thought nothing of kicking her, but she didn't know if the Court called throwing the meals at her cruelty. He did that twice before she left him ; also, he used the most disgusting language. There were no youngsters, although she "as good as had four." They died young, appalled'by the awful prospect of existence/with Pa and Ma. James 'earned £2 15s a week at his trade, and charge ed pupils a guinea a quarter for learning the noble art of punch. He owned two houses ; the one Ihey lived m was valued at £500 and the other at £600 ; also, he had cash m the bank and an interest m a building society. His mother left him £400 some time ago. She acknowledged id Mr Cassidy that her nest egg m the bank was £100, But she had worked for it. Dr. Thacker examined the woman oh December 29, and found her with bruises caused by blows, on the upper part ol the face ; also • with a bruise oh the right hip, , APPARENTLY THE RESULT OF A KICK. . Hanna attributed the violence of Jinf and the Doc. was surprised, as lie knew Dennison through the boxing business. Advised the missus to send Dennison to the doctor, but the man never arrived. Mrs Barnett saw Hanna with a black eye, and, Mrs McCormick (Mrs D's sister) observed her with two discolored optics, a bruise on the hip t and broken talse teeth. "I could see," she remarked, "that there was a little 'sarcasticism' between them." Mrs Tilletson was also shown the injuries, as also was another lady with /an indistinct voice, whose Christian name is Sarah. A letter, signed by Dennison m Mr Hunter's office with the object'' of effect* ing a settlement and thus avoiding pub* licity, was put m, although Mr Cassidy objected to it. In this Dennison ' offered to contribute 25s per /Week towards his wife's support. Mr Cassidy remarked that it would b« better for both if the two were separated. Dennison stated that, he was out of work at present j but was capable of' earning £2 15s pet week when toil was available. He denied cruelty to the wife. He only pushed her once or twice, he said. The trouble was that she had a sulky temper and screamed out if anybody went near her. There were annoyances such as coming home and finding no tea ready. When he 'got the blister for the present case he went to her father, who wanted it kept out of the Court, so he signed the document already mentioned m Mr Hunter's office. To Mr Hunter he explained that the missus bruised her thigh by falling off the back step when she was hurrying out for some, coals. The black eyes were due to her own obstinacy. Jim said, "Uo away," and she refused. Then he pushed her and she struck her face against the mantlepiece. The teeth were broken when he placed his arms around her neck and sat her down on a chair. Last year he earned £18 only BY GIVING BOXING LESSONS. His little mite m the bank was between £200 and £300, and there was. £60, balance of a building society draw. He had only averaged £2 a week all tfirough the year. His wife was a hard-worfiing woman and didn't strik£ him, but ' she was' m the habit ol slaking unpleasant remarks about Dennisoii's mother. Her nest egg of £100 came entirely out of his savings. / Magistrate Bishop expressed astonishment that a great, strong fellow like Dennison should exercise the noble art of self-defence, of 'Which he had heard so. much, upon his delicate wife. His Worship didn't believe, a word of the man's denial of ' his cruelty, and he characterised his violence as the act of a consummate cur. No., doubt both had been hard working and thrifty, but that didn't do away with, the fact ol the man's bruta.l treatment of his wife. His-Wor-ship made an order that the woman be no longer compelled to cohabit. with the man, and fixed the sum of maintenance due by Dennison at 25s per week.