The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-02-14 00:00:00

COUNTY PETTY BEBBIONB.

SATURDAY.

BRUTAL ASSAULTS ON

Before HTii. Middl.ton,chair), G.
Warry. Seq., A. W. Bank's, sq., and E. L.
Kindersley, Req.
Tom Hardy, eimemalter, was summoned for assault.
In his wife at Pied Hobbit 'a, on February 7th lest.-
Mr. R. N. Howard appeared for the prisoner, and in
opening the OWN said on the day In question the
defendant sent the woman with • boot to Piddletren.
thide, and on her return he what into • passion, and
assaulted her in a violent manner. She was in danger
of her life, and now wished to be separated from him.-
The wife was called, a d said they had been married
about four years, and bad hat two children. On
February 7th she went to Piddletrenthide with • boot.
On her return her husband asked bee when she was
going t iget dinner, and she replied "directly." She
oomaseaced blowing the fire ti get the water hot, when
he accused her of having gone too long, and said she
was always going about" taling." He was very angry,
and he hit her with the "clam. "acmes the back aod
ale hit her in the head. She was in denier of her life
and ran out of do ws with her baby. He 'old her to go in
and get dinner, aad she said she would if he would bold
his tnagoe. He then pulled his c at all to pieces. She
then went into the garden and stayed there till she
thought his sager had cooled down. He afterwards
struck her violent blown in the breast, on her head
and arm. He struck her en vi.dently as to take
away her breath, and she could scarcely walk. She
retained :narks of the blows, and it even hurt her
now to speak. Be threatened to kill her before she
went to bed, and she took refuge in her father's house.
Be had previously assaulted her. A short time ago
he put the poker down on her head, and said lilt were
not for the law he would crack her skull In. He also
struck her with his clenched bat. About three weeks
after her Doomed baby was born he struck her.-
Defendant: Have you done your ditty as my wife?-
Ye.. -Defendant: Will yos swear I struck you on
the head '-Tie-Defendant: Have you not told me
your parenta wished you to live at their house, and to
summons rne so al to make me pay a certain amount
to maintain you and the children? -I don't remember.
-Defendant: There lea home for you. I h eve not driven
you away. Ravel not done my duty as • husband?
-I don't know lilt is your duty to strike me. -The
defendant told the Bench hie wife was continually
running away to her father'. house.-The wife: My
father only wished me to go there when he struck me.
-Defendant : Have you not threatened my Ills?-
No-Richard Lockyer said the c emplainsot wee his
daughter. She had owns to him fire times for pro.
Watson since her marriage. On Toesday she came to
him; the marks on her arm were as black as his hat,
and she was buffering great pain. Witness had been
obliged to shelter her t tom the violence of the del oxidant.
Front his knowle ige lus believed his daughter'a life was
indulger. The elf obared her arm to the flinch. and ex.
hibited fearful marks of blows received as remote ea the
3rd inst.-John Hardy, brother of the def..n.lant, saki he
occasionally worked for his brother. During the time
I be was there there had frequently been word, between
hlm and hie wife. She had several times been away
and left them without their dinner. On December
23rd he was at the holm., and his brother asked his wife
to make ttee kettle boil to make some tea. Instead of
doing that she went to her father's and got a jug of
water, which she put into the teapot and spoilt the
tea. Word, arose, and during the altercation she
took up • case knife and threatened him. On another
day she said to bins she should be sure to do for his
brother when he was asleep, and after that should poison
herself. She bad also, whilst he was mixing up some
swine's food, bell a hammer over his bead and
threatened to beat his Frain, out.-Mr. Howard:
Have yea eves, sews him strike her-Witness: No.-
Complainant: You storyteller.-Witness : I have
seen him push you; if he had struck you I would
have knocked bias down in • minute. -The defendant
addressed the Ben-h at considerable length, and
accusel his wife of not doing her duty.-The Bench
said that they had never, so far as their recollec-
tion went, had a worse case brought before them.-
Defendant would be sentenced to three months'
Imprisonment with hard labour. They also granted
an order of separation, and defendant would have to
pay ss. a week towards the maintenance of his wife
and children.-Defendant (violently) : never pay
It. I'll rot In gaol first..-The man became so violent
that the Bench ordered his removal.