Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-20

gent lady, corroborated her husbands tes-
timony, having also been witness to the
beating. when | went over to Silva's,"
she said, "Mrs. Silva was crying piteouslv.
She told me that her arm had been broken
by one of his kicks. l went home, but
presently heard more screaming in Silvas
house. l went over again, and found the
poor woman lying against the siovs, bruised
and weeping. She said he had choked and
kicked her again because she had screamed
in the street. When l upbraided Silva for
his brutality he said he would kill his wife
the next time she ran into the street. l
reminded him that it was only a few
weeks ago that his wife had given birth to
child, and naturally was in weak con-
ditiop; but it had no effect on him al all,
except to make him maGder'
Mrs. Mary Frietas, who lives next door
to the Lambs, testified that she heard Mrs.
Silva screaming and begging her husband
not to kill her, but by the time she got 10
the door the trouble was all over. She
added, however, that it was a common
think for Silva to beat his wife, In fact,
the matter was the talk of the neighbour
hood
This closed the case for the prosecution,
and Judge Henry asked Silva if he had any
testimony to offer.
NAiN6 Obls tciCQ a. lut uUSS 6QQ maQ6
no reply.
A man whose name is also Silva. but
who is not relative of tine defendant, in
formed the Court that the defendant spoke
very little English. This gentleman also
volunteered his services as interpreter. He
was accepted for want of better one. but
he didn't prove much of a success.
Through the interpreter, Silva said the
only evidence he had was that of his wife
and his own.
The wife was not present, but in order to
give the defendant every possible advant-
age, both Judge Henry and District Attor-
ney Bruner agreed to send for her.
A recess was then taken to await the
coming of Mrs. Silva. At the end of an
hour she put in an appearance, and the ex-
animation was resumed.
Mrs Silva took the witness stand, and in
a hal!-frlehtened way answered the ques-
tons asked by the Court and District At
torney. She said that she ran out of the
house Thursday morning, and her hus-
band went cut ate: her and pushed her
in." She seemed afraid to say that he had
beaten her, and the District Attorney did
not insist upon an answer.
Silva then took the stand and made a
rambling sort of statement about max
ing his family mind him. He denied
that he had kicked or choked his wife, but
said that he drove" her in from the street.
He did not strike her, he said, and did not
know why she screamed.
At the conclusion of Silva's testimony
Judge Henry wanted physician to exam
Inc Mrs. Silva, for the purpose of ascer-
tanning the extent of her injuries, but she
would not listen to the proposition.
The case being then submitted the Court
promptly rendered a verdict of guilty.
The charge of battery upon Lamb, which
occurred the evening after the wife beating
affair, was next taken up. Lamb took the
stand and told about his meeting with Silva
and OF his demonstrating with the latter
for the cruel manner in which he treated
his wife. Silva told him he would kill the
woman before long, and if any of the
neighbors interfered he would kill them
too. When the witness told Silva that be
lamb would have him arrested, Silva as
saulted him.
Other witnesses corroborated Lambs
statement
Judge Henry found Silva guilty of this
charge, too. In passing judgment, the
Court took occasion TO give Silva severe
lecturing. He said he proposed to teach
such people as Silva that the laws of the
United States did not encourage WIFE
beating. A man who would strike a
woman was nothing less than brute In
conclusion Judge Henry sentenced Silva to
pay fine Of S150-Sl00 for beating his
wife, and $50 for the assault upon Lamb
with the alternative of spending one day
in the County Jail for each dollar of the
fine which was not paid
Silva's friend-the other Silva-paii the
fine.