LOVE'S THORNY PATH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10298, 1 November 1911, Page 3

LOVE'S THORNY PATH.

A MATTER OF JEALOUSY. FIERCE ASSAULT ALLEGED. At the Magistrate's Court this afternoon, before Air T. Wallace, J.P., and Mr W. Barrett, J.P.j a woman named Margaret Christina Porter was charged with having, on the morning of Tuesday, October -31. broken and entered the dwelling of Charles Dodd with intent to commit a crime. The cause of the assault was jealousy, a Miss O'Domiell having been keeping company with a man to whom accused considered she had a claim. Mr Cassidy appeared for the accused, and Chief Detective Bishop conducted the case for the police. Charles William Dodd stated that he was a boarding-house keeper in Cashel Street west, and employed a young worn mi named Mary O'Domiell as cook On Monday he went to bed about 10.20 X>.m., locking the back door before retiring. Miss O'Domiell slept in a room olf the kitchen with his little daughter. Witness and his wife slept in a room detached from the house. At about 1 a.m. he was awakened by his wife, and heard screaming, and on opening lijs door found the girl O'Domiell and his daughter at the door, both crying bitterly. The boarders were not in the habit of using the back door. He, however, distinctly remembered having closed tlio door. Mary O'Donnell said that she was employed at Mr Dodd's boarding-houso in the capacity of cook. On Monday last she retired to bed nt dbout 10 p.m. She was in her bedroom about 8 p.m., and at about 8.20 p.m. she thought she heard somebody at her window. She could not, however, see anybody when she investigated. She extinguished the light about 11 p.m., and soon afterwards went to sleep. When she woke up somebody was clutching her by the throat and saying, " I've got you." She struggled, and something was thrown in her eyes, which burnt her eyes badly, and slio screamed as loudly as she could. The room was in darkness, and she could not distinguish her assailant. She ran to Mr Dodd's room, and found the back door and several other doors open. Mr Dodd let her into his room, and then went for the police. She had previously in the evening heard him shut tlio doors of the house. A nightdress and a sheet covered with cayenne pepper were produced in Court, which witness recognised as articles sho had used on the night in question. A letter which had been found in witness's bedroom oh the following morning was produced as evidence that somebody had been in the room during the on tho evening of tho assault. Witness was walking out with Mr Stone, with whom sho was keeping company when accused rede up on a bicycle and stepped between them, saying to witness, "This is my place. She had always understood that the man was a boarder at accused's house. To Mr Cassidy witness stated that the man had, said to accused, " What do you mean?" and she had answered, '' I told you I would do it if I' saw you with that person again," "that person" being witness. Dr Jennings gave evidenco that about 1.30 a.m. or 2 a.m. on Tuesday, he was called in to attend Miss O'Domiell, but tho worst pain was over whon lie arrived. . Liquid containing cayanne pepper had been thrown over her, and some had got into her eyes. He put castor oil in her eyes and on her face to relieve the pain. Sergeant Quinn deposed that in response to Mr Dodd's request ho had gone to tho house and examined Miss O'Donnell's room. A liquid, containing cayenne pepper was splashed over the shoets and Miss O'Donnell's nightdress. Detective Gibson stated that on Tuesday afternoon, in company with Detective Ward, ho went to accused's house, and found the man Stone in bed. They then wont to tho back of tho house and saw the accused, who stated that sho did not know anybody named O'Donnoll. Sho knew, however, of a woman who went out with Stone, and who resided in Cashel Street. Witness had found a railway form in the house which was exactly similar +o the. ono on which tho letter fouud in Miss O'Donnell's room had been written. Accused stated that she had written tho Icttor and thrown it into Miss O'Donnell's room to frighten her from going put with Stone. She told the detectives that Miss O'Donnell Jjad taken her sweetheart, Stone, from her, and sho was jealous. After throwing tho letter into the room she I had cone home, but had later returned, entered tho girl's room and thrown cayenno pepper at her, but had not laid hands on her. She was a married woman with five children, and felt injured at having lost Stone. Detective Ward corroborated the previous witness's evidence, and added that accused had stated tKi.t Stone had boarded with her for twelve years. This closed tho case fox the prosecution. Accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to tho Supreme Court for trial, bail being allowed, accused in £IOO and ono suroty of £101).