MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2038, 18 September 1874, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

I CHBISTCHUBOH. . , s | ■ . This Day: ; J ■"" "^•- r; ' * (Before C. O. Bowen, Esq., R.M.) ])bttnk and Disobdeely. — Thos. Leonard arrested by Constable Hughes, at the theatre, was brought up" charged with an offence of this nature. His Worship said disturbances at the theatre were becoming reryTmraeronr tind were perfectly intolerable. "Prisoner would be fined 20s. ' Violent Assault. — William Fallobn, was brought up in custody, charged with having violently asiaulted hia wife Matilda Fallobn. Complainant said she was living \vith prisoner on ithe Ferry road. On Monday night he came home, stood over the bed where she was with her children, and said he would do for her"— ;that be would kill her. On remonstrating with him, he became very violent, and she got up with a view to fetching the police. When Bhe had put her hat on, he pushed her out on to the step, and told her not to come in again, or he would cut her throat. She went away and obtained a" constable, but when she got' back to the house, prisoner was gone. He had always ill-used her, and of late she had really become afraid that he would do her grievous bodily barm. Previous to the Monday referred to, prisoner had threateaed to give her a dose more than she could carry ; and on one occasion she found a packet of poison in his coat. By prisoner: You brought a friend home to sleep at the house, but I objected to him doing so because there was no bed to spare. I told you it would be better for you to give him half-a-crown to pay for a bed somewhere else. I told the man that you had never treated mo well, not even as well as you should a servant. I called you a drunken sot, but did not call you a pig. By the Bench:' Prisoner struck me previous to the occasional have enumerated. When he sent meto the Lunatic Asylum, he struck and kicked me, from the effects of which I was lame for some time. One of complainant's children was called, and corroborated the statement about prisoner's conduct on Monday last. He also said that he had heard prisoner j threaten to cut complainant's throat, and that he saw the packet of poison, found in prisoner's coat pocket. " Prisoner informed the Bench that he got the poison for the purpose of curing a lame horse. Sergeant Wilson, called, said he had made enquiries in the neighbourhood of prisoner's house, but could get no direct evidence of prisoner having ill-used his wife. The neighbours had not seen prisoner ill-use her, but complainant had often complained to them of his treatment of her. Witness knew prisoner to be very much given to drinking and gambling, and had also seen him in the company of convicted thieves. He was frequently out late -at night, and though witness was not in possession of facts, he had good reason to believe that prisoner's conduct was such as to have an injurious effect on complainant's health and reason, Constable

Beok called, proved to complainant coming for ..him -on Monday night last, as her husband had been ill-using her. He went with her, and prisoner was not in the house when they arrived, but shortly after came up, and when told of the. complaint against him, denied having struck or ill-used his wife. He was quite sober at the time. Prisoner, in defence, said that his wife bad such a temper that no ■ man, not geven a saint, could agree with her. She was also of unsound mind, and imagined a great deal of the ill-treatment she complained of. He had never struck, but admitted having spoken sharply to her, when she refused to accommodate his friencTfrom the Ashburton with a bed. ' She had led him a frightful life, and he had more than once to run away from her to avoid her violence. She had thrown stones and other things athim, and it was quite impossible for him to live amicably with her. If the Bench would grant a remand, he would call evidence to support all that he had advanced. His Worship said he would grant the request, for as complainant had been in the Lunatic Asylum the Bench would like to hear Mr Seager's evidence with respect to her general conduct while there. Prisoner would be remanded until Sept. 19, and the Bench would accept bail to the extent of £50 for prisoner's appearance. - Tbansfee of License. — The license of the Half-way House Hotel, Courtenay, was temporarily transferred from S. W. Palmer to Caroline Morgan, the latter to make a new application at |tho quarterly sitting of the Licensing Court, in December next.