The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-23 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.,Tune 21.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.
(Sittings at Nisi Prins, at Westminster, before Lord
Chief Justice Cockburn and a Special Jury.)
HANCOCK V. WEBB.—ASSAULT.
This was an action to recover damages for an
assault. The defendant is a physician and surgeon,
residing at Pimlico, and the plaintiff was his
servant
r. Huddleston, Q.C., and Mr. Prentice were
counsel for the plaintiff; and Mr. Sergeant Parry
and Mr. Jos. Browne for the defendant.
The plaintiff was 18 years of age, and the
daughter of a stonemason at Pimlico. In Septem-
ber last she went into the service of the defendant,
at £lO a year. A difference arose on the defendant
having beaten one of his children in a way she did
not like, and she gave notice to leave. On the
18th of November the plaintiff was sweeping the
stairs, and the defendant caught her by the leg.
She complained of his conduct. He laughed
at her, and went upstairs. Upon one occasion
plaintiff refused to do something Mrs. Webb
wanted her to do, and she said she should
leave, and asked for her wages. The defendant
came home, and offered her £1 for her wages, which
she refused, as more was due. The defendant took
her by the shoulders and shook her violently, struck
her in the mouth, and threw her on the floor.
Ile then pulled up her clothes, and Mrs.
Webb held up her legs in the air while the
defendant slapped her with his hand in a very
indecent manner. She said he rolled her over and
over on the floor. Mrs. Webb said, " Papa, you
have not given her enough ;" and he directed his
wife to get a stick, but'she could not find one. The
surgery bell was rung and her sister came in. The
defendant struck her sister. She suffered much
from the blow she had received in her mouth.
In cross-examination the plaintiff's evidence was
not shaken.
Upon being recalled by the Lord Chief Justice
she stated that she did not say before the magis-
trate that she was taken by the leg when she was
sweeping the stairs, because she was afraid that it
would cause a disturbance between the defendant
and his wife.
Elizabeth Hancock, the plaintiff's sister, said she
was with her in the defendant's service. As she
was gone to the nursery she heard her sister's
screams. She went to the surgery and found the
door fastened. She asked to be admitted, but the
door was not opened. She then went out of the
front door, and so to the other door of the surgery.
There was a crowd outside. She rang the bell, and
then she heard the door unchained, and the door
was opened. The defendant asked her what busi-
ness. she had outside, and she said she wanted to
know what he was doing to her sister. He made
no answer, but struck her sister's face with his open
hand. He then went away laughing. Her sister's
mouth was bleeding very much. Her face was
swollen, and she was in a very deplorable condition.
John Collins, of the Carpenters' Arms, stated that
he saw the plaintiff leave the defendant's surgery,
and from her injured appearance he, with other
persons, advised her to go to the police-court. He
went with her and paid for the summons. He was
a perfect stranger to her.
Other witnesses corroborated this.
Mr. Sergeant Parry then addressed the jury on
behalf of the defendant.
Edward Lowe Webb—l am a physician and sur-
geon in St. George's-road, Pimlico, in practice 14
years. The plaintiff lived with me from September
to December. I had previously attended her for a
swollen face and sore throat, arising from decayed
teeth. The sister, Elizabeth, had been in my ser-
vice as a nurse. On Sunday, the Ist of December,
I heard something had occurred between my wife
and the plaintiff. I never took her by the legs, or
took the slightest liberty with her. I never heard
of that until I came into court to-day. On Monday,
the 2d of December, my wife again complained. I
then heard the plaintiff making a noise on the stairs
while I was at breakfast. My wife sent my son for
the plaintiff's mother to come and talk to her daugh-
ter. I rang the bell and told her not to make such
a noise. I then said I would pay plaintiff her wages
and dismiss her. I calculated her wages at £1 19s.
10d. I wrote a receipt in my usual book for the
entry of servants' wages ; I found I had 19s. 11,d.
in my purse; my wife went with me into the
surgery I laid the 19s. 11d. on a side table, and
asked the plaintiff, who was there, to sign the re-
ceipt, which she did. She then returned the book
to me. I said, " That will do." She took up the
money, and stood with it in her hand some little
time. She then threw it down, and said, " I won't
take' that ; I'll have a fortnight's more money." 1
said I should not give it to her, as she had refused
to do her work. She had had £1 before. I told
her she must go. She said she would not without
more money. I left her in the surgery, and went
into the dining-room with my wife. I got into
my carriage and drove to her mother's, and asked
her to come to my house to take her daughter away.
The mother said she could not come. I then went
to the police-station for advice. They could not'in-
terfere. I returned home about half-past twelve.
My wife then made further complaints of the plain-
tiff. I went again into the surgery, and asked the
plaintiff, who was there,, she had her clothes
NeS.h"elsasiadidshe , You Sheget a
them.''
n
un-
less I or her mistress went withn l
dhhanedrn.t bgelst
get them
replied
andshe
had better go and
dthnwemn,
sat
get
with a boot in her
dnt hand, which she took up stairs.
sairssheankdne
com-
plaint about the plaintiff The came
n e whereup
they were. She we
My little girl cam
crTyninegp,lasnindtimffatdbee
then came
down with
her clothes. I told her to leave the
house. She said she would not. I went into the
surgery. The plaintiff came there and put her
bundle upon the surgery table. My wife came in.
Elizabeth was about to follow, when I said " We
don't want you here," and closed the door. I locked
thn otbeplaintiff'
door
to t o r go.ev e
it. I then opened the surgery street-door, and re-
questedr
ntSbheerregfumg backsned. had locked
into the
herself house. She sat down on a chair. I again
requested her to leave. I said, I am going out; you
go before I go." She said she would not, and she
shook her fist at my wife and said, " You vile
woman ; you wicked wretch." I said, " If you
won't got out quietly it will be my painful duty to
put you out. She threw herself back, and said,
" I'm as strong as you are, and I won't
go," and she knocked over some bottles that
were behind her. I then endeavoured to take
her by the shoulders to move her to the street-door,
which my wife opened. When I got her half-way
towards the street-door she slipped forward and sat
down upon the ground, and commenced yelling and
making a tremendous noise. She had not been hurt.
I then saw that a crowd was collecting, and gently
put my hand upon her mouth to prevent her mak-
ing so much noise. She bit at my little finger. I
removed my hand, and said to my wife, "Let us go
into the dining-room." We were just going when
a ring came to the surgery bell. I opened the street-
door, and her sister Elizabeth came up. The chain
had not been put up. We left the i
two
to-
gether in the surgery, and my wife and _
Issters
went into
the dining-room. I then saw two policemen in
the street and beckoned to them to
let them in at the front door,told come in, and 1
them what had
occurred, and asked them to
they did, and she went a speak to the girl, which
the mouth. I never away. Did not strike her on
pulled her clothes over her
head, or in any waShe had been in y
_
I did not slap her anywhere.
a violent, excited state all the
morning, and her face was much flushed. I did not
roll her over
hold her legs.and over on the floor. My wife did not
of health. sid My
wife is in a very delicate..state
wife did not saynlotb tellad nmnyt wiivfeentobgeretbaalsftieenkougi?:
Upon one occasion I whippedg one of my children
for telling an untruth.
Cross-examined—l did not pinch her at all. I did
not handle her roughly. I saw no blood on her
month, no mark under her eye. Some years ago I
had occasion to chastise a boy ; he was a thief. I
gave him a caning, and he remained with me two
years afterwards. I believe I was once charged with
beating a boy; the summons was dismissed. My
wife can tell you better than I can. A boy went
the small-poxcharged
away ; after that h©
• ho had fallen from the kitchen
me with an assault ,
dresser, and he said he had been assaulted, and took
out a summons, which was dismissed. I had three
servants. I had occasion to remove one boy from my
bedroom, I believe. I cannot say that I struck him.
It was the son of a monthly nurse. I never
struck him to my knowledge. I believe I did
not chastise that boy. I have not been in the habit
of chastising my boys. I knew a woman of the
name of Coward in my service. I went with my
wife into the room before she had gone to bed. I
believe she told her mistress that I had gone to her
room when she was undressed taking a bath. I
never did so. No nurse complained of my conduct.

I did not go into another servant's worn. I never
heard of it. I may have gone into ray own nurseantry.
Re-examined—As soon as I found th,c3 sery
had not gone to bed I went downstairs. I never
acted indecently towards the servants.
The further hearing was adjourned to Monday
(this day.)