POLICE COURT.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXII, Issue 6346, 20 June 1889, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

(YESTERDAY.)

Before Messrs Euselden and R. T. Douglas J'H.P. ' ScLirfA Williams, wife of Mr Charles Williams, of charged on the information of master of the Thames Orphanage, with having oa the 13tli inst. unlawfully ussulted one Selian Eayets by kicking her on the thighs and stomach, and by scratching her .on the neck with a knifo.

.Mr Purchas appeared on behalf of defendant who pleaded not guilty.

Defendant was also charged with having committed a similar offence on the 15th inst:

Mr Purchas asbd that the latter information might be withdrawn, as the offences were practically tho samo,

The Benoh said they were not, as that on the 15th inst. was for striking the child with a broom handle, and they would hear the two charges separately, so tho first j charge was proceeded with. Thos. Fulijamas, having bean sworn deposed : He was the /Mister of tha Orphanage, Selina Eayers had been licensed by the Minister of . Education in' I April last to defendant for 12 months. On (Saturday last witness received, a letter from Mrs Dodd, a resident of Parawai, to the effect. that the child had been badly treated. He therefore acted on the state I raent made in the letter and laid the in--formation. The child is 12 years and 3 months old. In consequence of complaint he took the girl away from defendant, The girl had been committed to the Orphanage by the R.M, Court about 6 yean 'ago.. .■•...(■ By Mr Purchas: Had' a conversation with .Mrs Williams on Monday last. It was owing to the state ia-'which he found the child that he refused to let her go back to defendant.' Had asked Mrs Williams to. take the child back, but ho did not know at the time that the child was bruised so much. Could not remember the conversation that took place between himself and Mrs Williams. Defendant had told witnessthat the child hadbehavat so badly that she felt it was her duty to correct her. It is the duty of the license*: to suitably chastise children instead of parents. The girl's general behaviour was fair, but she was given to sulking. Had trouble with her sister on one or two oc. casions. she also had a brother in the Orphanage, who, like many more boys, was sometimes unruly. It is true this boy had been licensed out and had run away. The girl Eayers had since informed him that she had been badly treated on Thursday and Saturday last. She bad rua away on Saturday. Had seen 'the bfuisos on the child yesterday but riot before.- They were on the arms and back, and there were also some scratches on the neck, which appeared to have been done by some sharp instrument, An ordinary table knife would not havo caused these injuries, .but he believed a carving-knife would.

By Constable Stapleton: Did not examine the ch'ild's legs or stomach, bat had seen the braises on her arm and back. By th? Bench: The cljildbad beea taken to the Police by her brother before witness saw - her. Saw the bruises aDd was of, opinion that they were far to? severe to' ba the result of any ordinary chastisement." > •» - Selina Bayers deposed: She was liying with Mrs Williams last Thursday. Defendant wanted witness to take some pjedicine, but she did not like it. Went to the cupboard to get some other medicine that was to be mixed with salts, but Mrs Williams told her she was not to get itautil she had askod for it. DefendantslappM; her on the face, ant! told her to go auc got her clothes and leave. Went into the bedroom to get her clotheß, when defendant came in and sent her into the kitchen lo got tho breakfast. After breakfastde • fondant went out and never camelio us.' until tho evening. When she did ccrkhome she hit witness with the handle of a knife but it did not hurt much. They were [good friends On Friday, Witness was putting tho. baby in the craddle defendant put tho blade of the knife on her neck, and told her to say her praters, Showed tho mark to Constable Bullet* It was still visible, but there were others caused by tho baby scratching her 3 Mrs Williams punished hor like.., this becacso sho would not put the br'iy in the cradlo more quickly, Witnp.sg nover refused ts do so.

fly tho pol.ico; Tried to go home to tlio Orphanage on Saturday, and called at Mrs iJorlfl'p. tolling lior that she had oocn boaten, Defendant followed witness up the road, and took her back home.

To to Continued on Fourth, Pago,

"»*— ' lIIHIMWH lIP ■■111 WH By the Bench: Mrs Williams punished her because she' did not do her workthere were one or two thinga she huJ forgotten. By Mr Piirchas: Defendant had used a curving knife to heron Thursday and a table knife on Saturday, Had been disob dient, Had been a good girl for two months, but after her brother enme she waß naughty, She Bulked on Thursday, and reaped to look for tho. medicine, which ma 'o defendant anzry, Believed she di erved what sho had got, Mis Williams aL-o got hor by the throat and scratched her neck. Dr Williams deposed : That tho girl Eayers had been brought to the Hospital, He* had examined her on Sunday af. irnoon at the request of Constable Bullet), and found that her back was literally coverod with bruises, and also the r'«ht nrm, while the neck was scratched as though by a Blimp instrument, There were bluish marks on tho front part of the body, and nlso one above the j?roiD, which waß ap parently caused by a kick or a blow, The cuts could not li.ivo been produced by briars or scratches with nails. There were throe or four PCtatchea on the face which had been causod by somo keen edged instrument. In the opinion of witness the bruises were inflie'ed three or four days previous. They could not have been done accidently.

By Mr Purchus .• The cats were nil superficial, and he did not think tliey were done with the intention of doiag bodily harm. . By the Bench: The bruises showed evidence of 60vere punishment. Mary Ann Dodd, a resident at Kauaeration that" the had come to her place on Saturday, when, at the re quest of the child, witness had examined hrr. Her left arm was vf.",v badly bruised from tlia elbuw to the rhoulder, and also the ri«ht arm, They coiM not have been caused by a fall, Then w;4fulso a scratch ou the neck. Tho o'uii.i wanted to be taken across to the Orpkiiaflc, and it was for that purpo6o she C3i«« io \Onesß. The ;;irl hud also informed her that Mrs Williams had told her to kueol down and say her prayers, an she urns! die. ]? kindly treated, ibe girl would probably be a good child, "

Constable Ballen deponed that oq Sunday afternoon about 3 o'clock he saw the child, and sho complained to him of tho ill treatment she had received. In eon. sequence of what she had told him ho looked at her and sawtlie marks on her oeck and face, He then brought the child to'Dr Williams.

This closed tho case for tho prosecution

Selina Williams (defendant) having beea sworn deposed: She did not kick the girl Bayers ou the I3th inst, She was very disobedient,' and would not answer or do anything, and witness took the knife whilst at breakfast and jokingly threatened to cut her head off if she was not a good girl. Did not touch her with the knife. \Y hen she returned ou Saturday there ! were a few scratches on her neck. Selina Mayers' sister had visited her about three weeks ago, since which time she had behaved badly. Had lately whipped the girl occasionally, bat treated her in the same' nay as she would any of her own childreu. Did; not know anything about the bruises, but surmised that they were the result of a fall on Saturday. Did'not touch'the girl on Saturday so far as she could remember. Could not siy why she left; except- that she could not get the boots to shine, as they were wet; Witness followed the child, and brougVojher back, and she said she had not spoken to anyone,. The girl-was always telling lies about The girl fell when going up the steps that led from the kitohen to the dining room, The steps are :a 'a ratliet awkward place. "Witness has tailed in the svne place aoyeral times..

By Constable Stapleton; Did not kick the pirl, but on Thursday last she gave her two or three cuts on the back with a birch broom, Witness also beat her several times with a willow stick;

By the Bench: The girl had been dreadfully aggravating lately, and witness could not do anything with her.

The Bench said it was evident that the girl was a very bad girl, Mrs Williams might have punished the girl too severely, but some children require more severe punishment than othera, There was no evidence at all to show that the braises wero inflicted by Mrs Williams, and the case would be dismissed,- The Bench also said that defendant left the Conrt without a stain upon her character,

Constable Stapleton, ou behalf of the police, then withdrew the second information.