The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-28 00:00:00

fancy that he (TAYLOR) was harbouring his wife,
and would attack him. The poor miserable crea-
ture, who was thus refused the slightest assistance
or protection, ran through the market, and the
prisoner after her, threatening, with an oath, that
he would kick out her brains, and declaring that
he would do for her that night. Nor did he re-
strict himself to abuse, for it appeared that he
kicked at her several times. We shall not
further allude to the after proceedings, as
they must undergo future investigation ; and
it is neither our desire nor intention in any
way to prejudice the verdict of the jury.
It is sufficient, for the purpose of our argument,
to show that there had been gross ill-usage pre-
vious to the death, and that, but for that ill-
usage, the solemn inquiry would not be required
that may terminate in the awful sentence of death
on a fellow-creature.
At the very same time, a miscreant named
DAVID MURPHY, to whose atrocious and unpro-
voked outrage on his inoffensive wife we have
already directed public attention, was lying un-
der remand from the Southwark Police Court,
the injuries inflicted on the unfortunate wo-
man having been so serious that the presid-
ing Magistrate, Mr. COMBS, declined to ad-
judicate summarily on the case. It will be
in the remembrance of our readers that the
wretched creature had remained five hours con-
cealed under the bed, to escape the unprovoked
and causeless wrath of the ruthless savage ; and
that when she was at length discovered, her first
exclamation was—" Spare my life, and let me
go !" Her life has been fortunately spared, but
it was not owing to the forbearance of her brutal
assailant, who, but for the prompt assistance ren-
dered to his victim, might have had to appear at
the bar of the Old Bailey to answer for his
offence. As it was he was sentenced to six months'
imprisonment, with hard labour—a very inade-
quate punishment for his crime, but all that the
presiding Magistrate was empowered to inflict.
On the same day, a man named GEORGE QUEN-
NELL—who had been frequently punished for
similar outrages—committed a violent and un-
provoked assault on ELIZABETH QUENNELL, his
wife. The attack was of the most brutal cha-
racter, the ruffian having kicked her in the most
furious manner, until the blood flowed rapidly
from her wounds. The miserable sufferer was
taken to St. Thomas's Hospital, where but little
hope was entertained of her recovery for some
days, and where she still lies unable to attend
before the Magistrate. The man who had vowed
at the altar to love and cherish her, and who thus
discharged his solemn obligation, has been twice
remanded to await her recovery, before the final
decision of the Magistrate shall be pronounced.
On the same day, Monday, the 19th instant,
HUGH WHITE, a labourer, residing at Cottage-
place, Commercial-road, Lambeth, made a most
violent assault upon ANNE WHITE, his wife, to
whom he had been many ypars married, and by
whom he had several children. The attack in
this, as in the other instances, had been made
without the slightest provocation. The unfortu-
nate woman had her skull seriously fractured, and
received other injuries of so formidable a charac-
ter that her life was despaired of, and in fact she
still lies in a very precarious state. When assist-
ance came, the wife was found lying on the floor
insensible and weltering in her blood, while her
assailant, who probably thought that he had mur-
dered his victim, was endeavouring to anticipate
the work of the public executioner by strangling,
himself with his own handkerchief. He still re-
mains under remand, to abide the result of the
injuries which he inflicted on his chosen partner
for life.
On the same day, at Clerkenwell Police Court,
many unfortunate women were to be seen linger-
ing about its purlieus, with features cut and
bruised, betokening the handiwork of some heart-
less scoundrels. It was described as " a sickening
sight" to behold the state to which they had been
reduced by the cowardly and unmanly wretches
with whom their lots were cast. Two charges
only were heard. In the first, JAMES MARKLIN
was sentenced to four months' imprisonment with
hard labour, for assaulting his wife and her
mother. He had come home drunk, and, accord-
ing to custom, commenced abusing his wife. She
attempted to soothe him, and for a time suc-
ceeded ; but while she was feeding him with some
dinner, and endeavouring to restore his good
humour, lie suddenly pushed her from him, struck
her down with a blow over the right eye, causing
the blood to flow, and afterwards, while she was
prostrate on the ground, and altogether helpless,
he beat her on various parts of her body, black-
ening it with almost every hit or kick. Her
mother, who came to her assistance, was forthwith
knocked down by a blow of a poker. The
face of the unfortunate complainant was fright-
fully disfigured with cuts and bruises, and
her dress besmeared with blood. The second case
was that of a miscreant named MICHAEL KELLY,
who was sent to the treadmill for two months, for
a brutal assault on CATHERINE HOLMES, who had
lived with him as his wife for a considerable time,
and by whom he had been entirely supported ;
the cause of the outrage was, that she had no
money to give him to squander in drink. When
these cases had been adjudicated on, the remain-
ing cases were withdrawn by the sufferers, in the
vain hope that their respective assailants would

profit by the examples they had witnessed, and
thenceforward abstain from such wanton violence.
On the same day, JAMES BARRETT was sen-
tenced by Alderman CUBIT; at the Guildhall, to
six months' imprisonment, with hard labour, for a
violent assault on CATHERINE, his wife, committed
during their Sunday dinner. Her eye was black-
ened, and she was otherwise severely injured. On
a former occasion he had broken several of her
ribs, and she was six weeks in the hospital in con-
sequence.

On the same day, TIMOTHY DOWNEY violently
assaulted CATHERINE DuNN, with whom he had
for some time cohabited, and also MARGARET
LYONS, and Police-constable POTTER. The unfor-
tunate woman gave her evidence with great reluc-
tance ; but it clearly appeared that she had been
subjected to a long-continued and unvarying
course of brutal ill-treatment. The others had

come to her assistance, and were also assaulted by
the infuriated scoundrel.

The above sickening details are not mere fancy
statements. They are selected from the records
of public tribunals, and are the occurrences of a
single day, of the day when the Recorder of
London declared from the judicial bench, that
" he did not find the slightest evidence of any
increase of assaults by husbands on wives, and
that it was his own opinion and the opinion of all
the officers of the Court, that the great improve-
ment which had taken place amongst the classes
where these outrages on the wife were generally
found, had tended materially to reduce this cha-
racter of offence !" We place the simple
array of stubborn facts against this experience,
and invite the community in general to decide
between us and the Right Ron. and Learned
Gentleman, supported though he be by all the
officers of the Court, and to declare whether it is
expedient to provide further and more efficient

remedies for the purpose of checking the dis-
gusting and disgraceful evil which has spread out
to such formidable dimensions.

PLYMOUTH, SEPT. 27.—THE EX-QUEEN OF THE FRENCH
AND ROYAL FAMILY.—The ex-Queen of the French,
Marie Amelie, the Prince and Princess de Joinville,
Count de Martinique, General Dumas, L'Abb6 Guelle,
Mdlle. St. Aubin, Mdlle. de Massy, M. Trognon, &c.,
who arrived here on Sunday by the City of London
steamer, left yesterday morning by the 10.25 express
train for London ; the ex-Queen having sufficiently
recovered from her illness. The ex-Royal family at-
tended divine service at the Catholic chapel, at Stone-
house, previous to their departure.
TEE BREVET.—We have authority to state that a
brevet upon the 9th of November (Prince of Wales'
birthday), is Positively certain, but the precise extent of
the d
W promotion is kept a strict secret at the Horse Guards
anar-office.—Limerick Chronicle.
CALEDONIAN RAILWAY.—This company, which some
years ago had no dividend, and desponded of ever
having one, is now paying from the revenue of the infe-
rior
cent. half of e
Chet year, a dividend at the rate of 2 per
Th draft upon the balance from the former ac-
count is only about 1,200 e., while the sum paid away
in the dividend is 31,000/. It is not long since the stock
of this company was scarcely saleable at 15 per cent.
The market price, even in this panic period, is now 55
per cent. Good management is the principal agent that
has thus turned the tables.--HerapoweB Journal.
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