TWO WOMEN QUARREL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20280, 13 December 1927, Page 15

TWO WOMEN QUARREL.

AN AGGRESSIVE MOOD. CONVICTION FOR ASSAULT. On October 27 Martha Samson, a married woman, called on Selina Margaret Wilkinson. After she had been admitted to the house a quarrel began, and the two women fought. Mrs Wilkinson received injuries necessitating treatment by Dr Linden, and Mrs Samson was charged ! with assault. In the City Police Como yesterday, before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., the case was reheard in r order that ■ the defendant might again state her case. Sub-inspector Fahey represented the I police, and Mr W. G‘. Hay appeared on i behalf of the defendant. Selina Margaret Wilkinson, a married woman, stated that on October 22, at 2 p.m., Mrs Samson came to the house, and, after hammering on the door, stated that she would break the windows if she was not admitted. Then peered through the letter box and said, ‘‘Let me ! in—l have come to make friends." Witness opened the door and kept it open, whereupon Mrs Samson put her arms round her and patted her. saying, ‘ I have come to kill vou, and I will kill you." She struck witness on the face and head, and, seizing a stick from the hall stand, began striking her on the head! Witness retreated, but was fol- | lowed up, A woman and two men from i a nearby carriage factory came to her assistance, and, after she had escaped, : she called the doctor. Her injuries were such that she was in bed for two days and a-half, and she had not yet recovered from the injuries she had received. m January last Mrs Samson had attacuea witness at Cargill’s corner. She had given Mrs Samson no nrovocation. To Mr Hay ; She was aware Mrs Samson was jealous of her, and had stated that she was “ carrying on ” with her husband. During the assault Mrs Samson was making accusations to that effect. Mr Samson was a master butcher, but it was not true that, she had received 2001 b of meat from him. She 'ad not been to the shop for a year. Samson had ot given her all her meat for nothing, but she would not swear that she had paid for all the meat she had received. She did not spit on Mrs Samson’s face on the day of the assault. Martha Samson, wife of Charles Samson, butcher, South Dunedin, said that she was the mother of seven children, the youngest being five months of age. Since the police had served papers on her she had not been living with her husband. On the day in question she was going to her house in Cargill read, but decided to visit Mrs Wilkinson and ask her to help her to regain her husband’s affections. She thought it better to do this rather than go to a lawyer. In her opinion Vlrs Wilkinson hsd interfered with her husband, and for years had broken up her home. Witness said she had not come to harm Mrs Wilkinson, and she put the position to her. Mrs Wilkinson said she was not the only woman who did that sort of thing, and spat at witness. Then they acme to grips, and witness wrested from Mrs Wilkinson a stick that she had secured. Witness next remembered being on the front lawn, where the two were separated by two men. On previous occasions she had begged Mrs Wilkinson to keep away from her husband s shop, but although Mrs Wilkinson promised to do so she did not keep her word. Cross-examined by Sub-inspector ahey, Witness said that she did not know how they got outside. She did not remember striking Mrs Wilkinson with the stick. The Magistrate said that he did not wish to hear any further evidence. It was quite clear that the defendant visited j Mrs Wilkinson in an aggressive frame of mind. It was unfortunate that the case had been brought on f or rehearing as there was no doubt that the defendant was labouring under great mental stress because of fam-'ly matters. These did not concern the court so far as the case of assault was concerned, and it was a pity that they had again been brought up. Defendant w convicted and fined 20s, with costs (£5 12s). “ I stronpTv advise you to avoid any attempt to take the law into your own hands, added the magistrate, addressing the defendant. “If any wrong is to oe righted it should be done through the proper channels."