The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-03-16
a Fierce wife Rea,er Arre,,ed.

Yesterday morning Officer Miles was notified
that denizen of Centre street, known as
"Black' Pat Sullivan, was beating his wife
This is quite favorite diversion with Sullivan,
and one that he objects to sbeing interfered
with. When the officer arrived at the door
Sullivan had barricaded it and threatened to
kill the first man who entered. Calling Officer
Hanson to his aid, an attack was made on the
door. After breaking out GOOD sized hole
the officers espied Pat on the inside with an
axe in his hand, and just foaming with rage.
He hourished the axe and swore he would cut
the man down who entered his house. The
officers had had some little trouble with this
man before, and they knew that with him
delays were dangerous. Accordingly they
made bold dash at the door, demolishing it in
an instant notwithstanding Pat was striking
at them from the inside. When the door fell
Pat saw that it was an unequal contest, and he
turned and ran into the bedroom. Going
through window, he reached the open air,
and then he made bold push for liberty. He
ran across to Cotton street and there stopped
and made preparations for fight, but seeing
the officers SO close upon his track, he con-
tinued across to Gross street, when Hanson
made long reach for him and pulled him in.
He turned on the officer and, catching him by
the throat, fought Ike tiger until q few
judicious blows from the officers billies
sienced him. He was taken to the police
station, when the officers returned to the scene
of the attack to find the cause of the trouble.
Upon the floor Of Sullivan's house they found
his much abused wife. An examination made
by the neighbors showed her to be literally
black and blue from head to foot, the result of
her husbands cruelty. The most serious
wound, however, was upon her right cheek.
There was large cut running under the eye
and the pupil was protruding from the socket
presenting a sckening sight. Her sister, who
was with her. had also been badly beaten. The
wounds were dressed so that the woman was
able to appear before Judge Knight 10 the
afternoon and testify in regard to the treatment
she had received. As she stepped forward to
do So her husband gave her look which al
most deferred her from her purpose to testify
against him. She urged the Judge to state
that she did not make the complaint and did
not come to testify until compelled to. Such
was the case and the judge complied with her
request. She then related the treatment che
received from her husband last Wednesday.
He knocked her down several times and then
inflicted the wound to her eye with the toe of
his cow-hide boots. Seeing the injury he had
done 10 her and her sister, who took the part of
the wife, he fastened the house up and allowed
no one to enter or to leave. A brother of the
wife made the complaint to the officers which
lead to his arrest.
Afrer hearing the evidence for the prosecu-
ton, Judge Knight asked Sullivan if he had
anything to say, and he replied that his wife
was con her beer, and that was the way it
happened;' also volunteered the remark that
he hit her one 'clout' with his fist The judge
console9 him with the remark that he did not
believe a word he said, bat he did believe that
if an opportunity was offered he would beat
her again for testifying against him. To pre-
vent such an occurrence he was put under
$1,000 bonds to await the action of the grand
jury.
1t has been ascertained that the same day
Sullivan beat his wife he also pounded
woman named O'Friel, who entered his house
on an errand. The woman was not able to
leave her bed yesterday. Sullivan has been
arrested time after time for abusing his wife,
and almost every time she has refused to
testify against him. The officers say she has
been driven out of the house at all hours of the
night in the most Indictment weather.