The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-02-18 00:00:00

I TERRIBLE CHARGE AGAINST A FATHER.

At the Police Court, yesterday, before Messrs.
ff. 0. Firmstone, and A.Freer, Thomas Wait Unto am
foreman at the engine shed of t e Great Western
Railway Company, Steurbridde, was charged with
having unlawfully and carnally known a girl
named Violet Mary Whittinsham, of the age of 13
years and under 16 years of age, on the 4th inst.
Mr. W. Waldron defended.

Prosecutrix said she was daughter to prisoner
end lived with him at No. 5, Beale Street, Stour.
bridge. She would be 14 yeers of age on the 16th
of April next. Her mother died Christines, 1886.
She recollected Saturday, February 4th. Prisoner
came home to dinner between one and two o'clock.
Lie lay down on a B,,fa and we it to sle3p. Prisoner
was fOrellarl Lt the engine shed, of the Great
Weetere Railway Cenapany. He was working
eights that week. Her brother, Tom, was, in
bed at the time. He also was working nights.
After her father woke up he stood before the fire.
;to told her to get on the sofa. She did not
a newer him, nor did not go. He then pushed her
tea the sofa and fastened the stairs door. He took
liberties with ner. She was on the sofa when he
faatened the door. Witness then gave the details
of the act which are unfit for publication. After
he had committed the offence he told her not to
tell anybody, and said if she did she must look out
for the "latch hole" meaning a threat to beat her.
She comelained to a neiznbour named Darbyshire,
on the Thursday.
Cross examined. He was not unkind to her
except when he had had beer. He got drune once
a week, or sometimes more. We en he wee oa days
it was generally on a Saturday nieht. On the 4th
ins.. prisoner came home drank. Instead of going
to Led he slep on the sofa. See was housekeeper
to the house. He gave her a sovereign and told
her to get the stuff in, and give him change when
he got up. When he got up she wanted more
money, and he refused. He said she ought
to have had enough money and pushed her away.
She feli on the sofa and her head caught aganst
a flower tree board. She cried a little and prisoner
said • Don't ere', you know I did not mean to hur
you." Sne then stopped crying. It was before
this that he took libatiee with her, When prisoner
fastened the door she was lyinz on the sofa. The
front door f4ced the strfeet. There were five houses
in the row and the windows faced the street. She
did not call for her brother. She was frightened
She did not attempt to scratch or strike prisoner,
but she tried to get away. She did not kick him
becau-e she was afrad he would thresh her. Her
brother got up about six o'cleck, and had his t- a.
He remained in the house about half an hour aua
she did not complain to hie about her father.
She saw Mrs. Derbyshire on Saturday night and
walked with her towards the town. She saw her
each day afterwards, and on Thursday she made
the complaint te her in her own house, in the
kitchen. There was no one else in the house at the
time. She never told anybody until she told Mrs.
Darbyshire. She knew Mrs Gould. She was given
to telling lies and stories. She had been beaten
over ad over again for telling lies. Since her
moth, L'6 death she had stayed out iii nine o'clock
at night. She had not come home from the bible•
c:ass she attended at the top of the Gullet in Union
Street, with young men.
Ann Maria Der byehire, wife of William Derby-
shire, said she lived at No. 4, Beale Street. She
had ki.own prosecntrix for some time, alynt seven
months. On the 9th of February prosecutriz came
into her house and made a complaint against
prisouer. She had previously appeared distressed.
Tee d inghtsr complained that the prisoner had had
connection with her. a::10 had net noticed any-
th ng wrong in the conduct of the girl. Cross-
examined. She saw prosecutrix on the 4th of
February, and said "How do you do, Violet." She
was not with her a minute and certainly not ten
minutes. She saw the girl in the yard on Sunday,
and saw her on Monday. Tuesday, and Wednesday. ,
She did not compla:ti of cit ing prisoner had
done to her.

Thomas Wittin. said he was 3011 of prisoner
end lived with hi • lie was an engin,! dissner on
the Great Wes..e..-. Railway, and usually worked
nights. On the I.h inst. he wi nt to bed sbout ten
minutes to two and remained in bed until between
six o'clock and hnlf-past. Cross-examined. He
did not hear any nea,e in the house.
Inspector litrieau s!tiel on the 14th inst.• he
arres.e.l pris-ner on a win rant which he read to
hini,ad tie s ii "lam not guilty of anything I am
ashs.ne or, hat who live laid this iuformation."
Wit,las3 replied Violet nary Whittingham. your
daught-r." Ile said " if she says so, it must
' be truc, but I don't rementlka-a .y thing of the sof I.
This is IL i,hbouring for you."
Dr. It. 1 Bayley said he examined proseoutrix
on ths evening of the 14th 1116 t. au i she 6bowed
.igns of having been violated. He examined h
again on the 16th init. and she presented the 'ace
appearance. Cross-examined He should say
from his examination of the giil that she must
have been in the habit of having connection wz h
sonic one and certainly before the 4th.
l'rosecutrix, re-examined My father has had
connection with me several times b 3fore ; abut two
meaqas ago.
Mr. Waldron addres,3ed the Bench for the de—
fence and contended that there was no prfina facie
case made out.
Prisoner was sworn, and said he was a widower
and was 53 years of ate. His wife died at Christ-
mas. 1886. de had tve6 eons and a daughter living
with him. On the 4th thet he went to sleep on the
gofa and got up at abort 15 or 10 minutes to 5.
Prosecutrix teld him he Would be late and asked
him for more money. att had given her a sovereign
before and told her he should not give her any
more, and pudied her ad she fell on the sofa, and
,her head e Lught against a t oard and she began to
cry. lie told her he did not intend to hurt her,
and he wui away to his work. He ha I been
employed Et the reat Western &Lwq between

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