The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-08-27 00:00:00

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 1881.

Cl. t o"-t,'•e boy aa the grandmother as being very
danprous, aLid realarked that they might have
been charged wlth manslaughter inst.e.4:l nf an
assault. Tile boy was fined 103 aaui cost 4, the
grandmother 5s and costs, and Carri r is and
costs.

ALLEGED AGGA.ULT. - Ellen Wainwright was
charged with assaulting Mary Baker on the 19th
inst, at Brettell L.tne. Complainant alleged that
on the d-iy in question she was coming down the
passage leading from her house when she met the
defendant who knocked her down and used bad

language towards her. She asked defendant for a
boot which she had given her, and held her in the
road until Sergeant Moore came up. She did not
strike defendant but merely held her. The case
was dismissed.—Matilda Millward and Richard
Millward were charged with assaulting Mary Dunn,
on the 13th inst. After hearing the evidence the
Bench characterised the affair as being a very dis-
graceful one and said they were as bad as one
another. Case dismissed.
BRUTAL WIFE Asssuur.—At the Police Court, on
Thursday, before W. F. F. Boughey, Esq., Stipen-
diary Magistrate.—A Separation Ordered.—Momas
Smith (24), miner, Dudley Port, was brought up
under a warrant from Tipton, and eharged with
assaultinr his wife, Edzaheth Smith.—Complaid ant

,\N hose right eye was mu•2ll discoloured, stated that
she had been married to the prisoner four years.
Daring that period it had been his habit to absent
himself from hocue for nymths at a time, leaving

witness to obtain a living the best way he coulk
A fortnight ago he sold six chairs and a dining
table, and went off with the money, without leaving
her a copper. On. Tuesday morning, the 23rd
instant, the prisoner was at horn, end wanted
meat for his breakfast. although he had done no
work for ten mouths previously. Witness could
not supply him with meat, but went out and
obtained a herring for him. He was not satisfied
with that, and threw it into the fire, s lying he
must have two. He then commenced to call her
foul names, broke a basin and saucer over her
head, twisted her hair in his hands, and dragged
her about the house, kicking her about the body
wilt his clogs, and beating her a.bJu it: the facs with
his fists One of her eyes was blackened, and the
other would have been only she bled well. When
prisoner ceased his ill-usage some persons came
and picked her up, and the prisoner then went out
and pledged her boots. He had assaulted her in a
similar manner three tim, s since Whitsuntide, and
he had told her if she wanted anything for a living e.
she must go out and prostitute herself.—ln reply to
the Stipendiary, complainant said she was pregnant,
and expected from day to day to be confined. Ever
since she had lived alone with the defendant she
had always been subject to his ill-usage. She
wished for a judicial separation.—day Sellers,
who witnessed the assault, said the prisoner avowed
his intention of taking his wife's life.—To Pol:ce-
constable Godsall, who arrested him, he said "he
was sorry ha did not kill the thing, and he never
intended to again work for her."—llr. Boughey
said he thought those who heard the case must be
horrified at the prisoner's brutality. It was,
however, quite useless to waste words on such a
wreich. A more violent wife assault he never
heard of. Prisoner had been ten times charged
with various offences, and he had a great mind to
send hiai for trial. He would be sentenced to six
months' hard labour. The Stipendiary also
ordered a separation of the parties, the prisoner to
contribute 6s. per week towards the maintenance of
his wife and two children,
OFFENCES AT THE UNION.—John Evans and John
Robertson, two tramps, were each sentenced to
, seven days' imprisonment, the former for smoking
and the latter for committing a nuisance, whilst
inmates a the Kingswinford Workhouse.