The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-13 00:00:00

THAMES.

THUMB KISSING.—A DOUBTFUL CASE.—Eleanor
Birthright, a very intelligent and respectable young woman,
the wife of a labourer who is at present dwelling at 1, Lee-
street, Stratford, apreared on hex recognisances before Mr.
Partridge to answer the charge of assaulting an aged Irish-
man named Jeremiah Cronin and breaking his leg.
The affray which led to the present investigation occurred
on the 6th of August last, at 1, Payne's-buildings, Old
Ford, Bow, where the prisoner and her husband occunied a
room. The landlady of the house was the daughter of the
man Cronin, and between her and the prisoner there was a
quarrel. The old man came by while the " debate," as he
called it, was going on, and said, "'What is this about ?"
The prisoner said, " 'What is that to you, you old
He replied, "If I was the landlord I would soon have you
out." The prisoner said " You would, would you, you old
—I " His old woman (wife) was alongside of him, and
the prisoner put her out of the passage of the house down
several steps, and she was only saved from injury by falling
on a boy who was passing. The prisoner then came back
and put her hands on the shoulders of the old man and
shoved him down the steps. He fell on the pavement and
put his hip out. He was raised by the bystanders and
carried to the London Hospital, where he remained under
medical treatment until Tuesday, the 30th ult, He was
carried into court by policemen and seated in a chair, and
it is probable from his advanced age (upwards of 80 years)
he will be a cripple for the remainder of his days.
Several witnesses, including the prosecutor's wife, con-
firmed his statement, and gave their evidence in a very
exaggerated style. Mrs. Cronin refused to take the book
in her hand when it was tendered to her, and said she took
the oath on a former occasion. Mr. Partridge said she
must take the oath again ; and when it was administered to
her, and she was desired to kiss the testament, she spread
her thumb over the book and kissed that. The prisoner
respectfully called the magistrate's attention to the evasion,
and said, " Please, sir, she kissed her thumb." The old
woman scowled at the prisoner, groaned repeatedly as if she
was in great distress of mind, and said she had not kissed
her thumb. Mr. Joseph Smith, Mr. Charles Young, soli-
citors, and the captain of a ship, seated at the table, said the
witness had kissed her thumb. She was desired to kiss the
book, and again kissed her thumb on the book. Mr. Par-
tridge said the silly artifice of the woman would not ab-
solve her from her oath, and after she had kissed her thumb
that
a third time amidst derisive laughter in court, the Magis-
trate said—You must take the oath in a proper manner.
water sundry groans and looking about her, she found there
mate-
rial
hep
no escape, and kissed the book. Her evidence con-
firmedof the
particulars of f hteer
tte ehusband,v,ide Tibet; t
shew a s
gave differenttwo in
monthssom some
ago.
risonueurswcross-examined the witnesses with much
tact. Theyathheemwaianguil
guilty
many
coarteradvdiiheletiroirpTilashelyp,riabountershdeeniinevdoltvheadt
used the offensive expressionse° sworn imputed
to toby her,the
oldo r that she
andsh e
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she
ularodw going on, in which she
had no mosses.o joir.
old man called her "Et uxie herr appearance, and the
and said the
English had sold his country. St e 181:
Wihfee shuck her a
u'dd" Mr. Cronin, I
know nothing about these matters,"
blow on the eye. The old man and hisa
at her, and is,. trying to shake them off all threetrholll dashed
eda down
the steps together, She was very sorry the old
injured, but she was not the cause of it, The occurrencelll was
was quite accidental, and all the violence was on the other
side. Mrs. Birt'aright made her defence in a clear, melo-
dious voice, wad with great propriety. She left a favour.
able imprec,sion on every ono. Two respectable witnesses
confirmed her in every particular. They saw the old man
strike .ors. Birthright and lay hold of her, and the three fell
down the steps. Another witness stated that overtures had
bean made to the prisoner on the part of the Cronins to
settle the matter for £5, and she refused to give any money
to them.

Mr. Partridge said it was a very doubtful case indeed, and
one that he should send before a jury. He remitted the
case to the Middlesex Sessions, and took bail for the pri-
soner's appearance there, herself in £3O and two sureties of
£l5 each. Bail was tendered and accepted.