WIFE UNFOLDS STORY OF CRUELTY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 725, 26 July 1929, Page 1

WIFE UNFOLDS STORY OF CRUELTY

SUFFERINGS ON FARM

Prosecution of Husband

“DREW BLOOD WITH WHIP”

riIOKLNG With dry sobs and wiping the tears from her sunken eyes the wife of a Waerenga farmer told a poignant story ot the cruelty of her husband gnd daughters when the man was charged at the Police Court this morningTiie womans story dragged on for well over an hour, while her husband sat impassively studying the floor According to the witness her life on the farm had been almost unbelievablb and the stock was in manv ways better oft* than sne.

The farmer charged was Peter Alexander Elmsley, aged 67, for whom Jlir. Noble appeared. The detailed charge was that for the past four years and particularly between June )S and July 19, 1929, accused, who vas in charge of Ledisha Ann Elmsley, a person uuable through fear or weakness to withdraw herself from his charge, had without lawful excuse denied her the necessities of life so that her life was endangered. The principal witness was the wife jiamed in the charge, a tall, emaciated woman with a sunken face and Work-gnarled hands. The evidence was heard before Messrs. A, J. Stratford and C. J. March. J.P.’s. Chief-Detective Hammond quoted Section 166 of the Crimes Act under Jvhich the charge was laid. He said that Waerenga, where JOlmsley’s farm was situated, was pbout seven miles from Te Kauwliata.

According to Detective-Sergeant Issell, he and Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike, with Dr. Tewsley and Dr. Buchanan, had visited accused’s farm tit Waerenga on July 20. Witness Lad photographed dwellings and outhouses. (Three photographs were produced—all of the dwelling taken from different angles.) The house "a% a ramshackle structure built apparently of pieces of packing-cases and remnants of timber. Sacking and corrugated iron also appeared to figure largely ill the construction of the house. Within a stone's throw of the house "as the dog kennel and the henhouse, also dilapidated structures. Ledisha Ann Elmsley gave her age as 53 years. She had married actused on August 4,1909, at Te Puke. She lived for the past IS years with her husband on the farm of 15S acres at Waerenga. Witness had two children, Clarice, aged IS. and Justia, aged 15.

“Eight or nine years ago my husband took a dislike to me.” continued Mrs. Elmsley. “Since then we have occupied different rooms in accord ance with his wish.” The house at Waerenga consisted of two rooms—a bedroom and a living room. Witness and the two girls had slept in the bedroom. Witness and her husband had got on fairly well until a few years after the youngest child was born. “My husband first struck me a good many years ago, digging me in the ribs with his elbow,” continued Mrs. Elmsley. “He also struck me with a stick across the shoulders. I can hardly say why he did it. It is 10 years ago, but I remember that ho broke the stick. “He also struck me with a stock whip. Yes, that’s it,” added witness as the chief-detective produced a whip with a long plaited leather lash. “On one occasion he struck me twice, and another three times,’’ she added. “They were severe blows across the shoulders and left bruises. 1 don’t remember whether any of the Kills have ever struck me with the stock-whip. They urged their father to stop. ACCUSED OF LAZINESS Mrs. Elmsley said that her husband had used bad language to her and accused her of being lazy. She gave an idea of her day in the sulking season. She would rise at L3O in the morning to get the cows into the yard. Elmsley and the girls did the milking. It was witness’s task to bail up the cows and leg-rope •hem. She also carried in part of the milk. She then took the cows 'lack to the paddock. Elmsley did the separating and one of the girls Prepared the breakfast. “One of the girls attends to the fneais. I rarely have anything to do w ith it,” continued witness. “I then so for the wood. I chop it down if it fs not fallen and bring it home with 'he mare and a sledge. I chop the wood up and I have carried home heavy Jogs. My husband does noth-

ing to speak of in the way of woodchopping. I also clear scrub and tea-tree on the farm. My husband was not able to do the clearing. He has always been sick, more or less.” To Mr. Stratford: It is his heart. Witness explained the method of clearing. “Small stuff I pull up, but I fell the bigger bushes with a slasher,” said Mrs. Elmsley. “My husband has told me to go out and pull tea-tree. I have never refused to go or asked to be relieved. I would perhaps pull tea-tree for an hour and a-half to three hours each day. “Lately I have been going short of food and have been denied the freedom of the larder,” she continued. “This is during the last three or four years. “I have complained to the neighbours that I was short, although the food was in the house. Elmsley said I didn't deserve food. He did not see why he should feed me for nothing.” He said that she had never done a day’s work in her life. Witness said that she had not had a holiday for more than 15 years. It was more than a year since she had even been to Te Kauwhata. At this stage Mr. Fawcett asked the court to hear an application for a separation order on behalf of Mrs. Elmsley. Mr. Stratford regretted that the application could not be heard at the moment and must take its course. Continuing her evidence, Mrs. Elmsley said that the girls sided with their father dud. also called her names. THREATENED WITH GUN

“On one occasion my husband threatened me with a gun,” continued witness. “He told me to go into the bedroom and say my prayers. He said 1 had better have a last look \ around, pointing the gun in my Hirection and holding it there for five or ten minutes. There was ammunition in the house and he said the gun was loaded. I was not afraid of hiiu and thought he was only joking. I now think he was threatening me. Elmsley has also said that he would blow my brains out with a revolver. He gave no reason, but said that 1 was useless about the place. “Once he drove me off the place with his walking stick,” said Mrs. Elmsley. “He has called me all sorts of things, some of the least objectionable being maggot, cur, viper, vermin and so on. Elmsley has put me out of the house at night, the last occasion being about 12 months ago. Three times for sure he has put me out and once in the winter he kept me out all night. I slept in the calf shed. I was dressed in my nightgown and slept under some bags.” On another occasion witness had found it necessary to sleep crouched under the verandah, having been ordered out after getting her husband a drink when he was sick in the night. He had ordered her out and was deaf to her appeals to him that she should be let in again. She had slept under sacks. The Chief-Detective: You are used to wearing sack, in wet weather for instance? Witness: Sometimes he forbids me even to use a sack. I have to go out when he tells me or I know he would attack me with the whip. “Sometimes,” said Mrs. Elmsley, who was sobbing at this stage, “Elmsley and the two girls would have bacon and eggs and fried potatoes for breakfast, ordering me out until they had finished. Then my husband would say ’bring in the vermin and give her her breakfast.’ I used to get dry bread. Elmsley has thrown dry bread on the floor for me. The girls have been cruel to me too.” FOOD FROM NEIGHBOUR Witness said that she had taken her troubles to Mr. Brown, who was a neighbour and a Justice of the Peace. He had tried to help and his family had brought food for witness. “I could not even drink the milk as I had been forbidder. to touch it,” continued Mrs. Elmsley. “Once I took a cup of milk arid Elmsley said ‘The sneak thief is stealing again.’ I was forbidden to take any food.” On the morning that witness had taken the milk she had been sent up the hillside and told to stop there. She had seen Mi-. George Bi-uce and asked him to come over as she thought that she would get an opportunity to ; return to the house and the chance of some dinner. However, on arrival at the house, witness found that her bushand and the girls had disposed of their dinnei-. She had some dinner with Mr. Bruce. “I took my chance of getting something extra,” she said “I had an extra helping and an extra slice of food.” Mr. Brown had brought food for witness, leaving it in the tea-tree. Mrs. Elmsley recounted further episodes of cruel treatment, saying that her husband had beaten her with a cow’s leg-rope. The girls had stuck needles in her and kicked skin off her legs.

“I slept on a stretcher made of wood,” she said. “The mattress was

(Proceeding.)

stuffed with hay. Elmsley has given me no money—not a shilling—for at least five years. The fai'm is in my name and the stock belongs to mjhusband. PARENTS IN TAKAPUNA “My father is alive, living at Takapuna,” said Mrs. Elmsley. “My mother is also alive, but I could not write to them.” During the course of Mrs. Elmsley’s evidence, the chief-detective px-oduced the clothing it was alleged that she had worn on the farm. They resembled nothing so much as an unsavoury heap of rags. There were stockings, once black, and covered, with holes. Part of the garments were lined with something resembling sacking, and there were heavy mudcoated working boots of the stiffest leather. Witness said that the effect of her husband’s beatings with the stock-whip had been to draw blood. She had attended to the wounds as best she could herself. Accused had, on more than one occasion, thrown a hammer and tongs at her. Mr. Noble, contrai-y to his earlier statement, decided not to cross-exam-ine witness.