The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-08 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

Michael Driscoll, aerlf powerful-looking fellow, residing
in Tattle-court, one of the wont localities iu Toofey-street,
was charged with committing a v.nleut assault on Susannah,
his wife, by striking her over the bead with the leg of u
chair.

The complainant, whose right eye was blackened and
much swollen, stated that on Sunday morning Mit, between
two and three o'clock, her husband came home in a state of
intoxication, and pulled her out of bed. fie then almud
her, calling her all the names he could think of. She
quietly remonstrated with hint for coming home at such
tame in that state, when be seized the leg of • chair and
struck her on the head, saying at the !MO time, that he
would murder her. She called out fur assistance, when he
struck her with his fiat over the right eye, anal would, no
doubt, hare murdered her had not some of the neighbours
come to her assistance.

Mr. A'Beekett a►ked the poor woman whether he cur
ill-used her before that ?

She replied that they had been married nearly ten years,
and, until recently, they had lived very comfortably to.
gether. He had latterly been in the habit of frequenting
a public-house in Tooley-street, and remaining there until
a late hour, spending nearly all his wages, whi,e she worked
hard to keep the house and children clean. A month ago
he beat her until the blood came from her, but she did not
like to come to a police-court to complain of his conduct.
She would now forgive him if he made a promise nut to gl-
ues her again.
Mr. A'Beckett asked the prisoner what he had to say in
answer to the charge ?
He replied, in the most insolent manner, that she struck
him first, and be could not help giving her a gelatin tap to
cool her temper. He denied being in dm habit of ill-wing
i her.

A'Beckett laid it bad been proved astisfactorily to
him that he was a cruel fellow. He should, undrr all the
circumstances, commit him to the House of Correction for
three months, with bard labour.
LAMBETH.

henry Bish, Charles t.itetensoTa, and Henry Matthews,
three ruffianly Woking fellows, were charged with assuult-
ing two young women, named Eliza Marsdat gull Agnes
Lawrence.

The complainants were returning home after going to se:
some friends come away from a masquerade at Vauxhall
Gardens, when the prisoners began talking to them, and
induced them to go into a public house to drink. After this
• cab was called, and Bish and Matthews got in with the
women. Stevenson rode on the box. They then stopped at
another public house and had more drink. While in the
cab the two prisoners commenced taking indecent liberties
with the women, and because they resented their conduct
the prisoners struck them and ill-used them. Tho cab was
stopped, both women were dragged out and repeatedly
struck by the prisoners. Eliza Marsden was seriously in-
jnrad.
The prisoners excused themselves on the plea of drunken.
111111111.

Mr. Norton commented upon the impropriety of two
women calling themselves prudent women entering a cao
with such ruffians, and said it was one of the gros,est as-
saults he had ever heard of. He was glad that the new law
enabled him to punish the prisoners severely. Dish, the
greatest ruffian, should go to prison for sic months, Mat
thews for four months, Stevenson for three mouths, all with
hard labour.