The Warwickshire Herald. — 1889-10-24 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

FAMILY AMENITIES.  ASSAULTING A FAMISH-IN-LAW WITH A COAL  At the Astea Police Cott on Tuesday, before Mr. A. Baker and Major Ash, Alfred Brawn, labourer, 96, Guildford-street, Aston, was summoned for assaulting his father-in-law, John Matthews, labourer, Lennox-street, Aston, on the 12th inst. There was a cross-summons charging Matthews with assault. Complainant appeared in a very enfeebled condition, whilst Brawn appeared with his head swathed in surgical bandages, the condition of both men apparently being due to their conflict.  According to the moil of the complainant, Mathews, which was corroborated by his wife and another woman, Brawn was living apart from his wire, who for some time past had been living with her p- -ents. On the night in question, about hp'"-past eleten, the defendant went to com•i ' without the slightest cause J• : 4 'door. Complainant asked daenciant, who was .runk, what he wanted, and he, by way of an answer, stauck complainant a blow with his fist and knocked him to the ground, and then kick-d him on the top of his head, causing a wov id which bled very freely. Defendant then announ :d his intention of killing his wife and mother-in-law, and they in a stab of terror ran into the street. Defendant parsued them, but fortunately he fell down, and they were thus enabled to escape his violence. Defendant, on regaining his feet, was going back to the house when he met his father-in-law, and he rushed at him and again knocked him to the ground. Defendant then approached the house, and said he would re-enter it, but complainant, who had recovered himself, said he should not. The two struggled, but at length the old man was overpowered, and the defendant flinging him to the ground, passed into the house. He, however, soon I came out, armed with a small coal hammer, and with this instrument he beat complainant about his body, fracturing several of his ribs, At length defendant fell down, and his head coming into contact with an iron palisade, he received a wound on the head which rendered him insensible, and necessitated his removel to the hospital. Complainant, who was still under medical care, in consequence of the severe nature of his injuries, said he did not wish to send defendant to gaol, but simply to be protected from his violence. He was quiet enough when he was sober. Brawn admitted that he was drunk when he went to the house of complainant. He had had a dispute with his wife and he ran her out of the house into the street. He could not catch her, and as he was passing back up the passage to the house again, his father-in-law bit him a violent blow on the head with the coal hammer. Recovering somewhat from the effects of the blow, he (Brawn) seized the implement and beat Matthews with it. He (Brawn) then became unconscious, and did not regain his senses until next morning, when he found himself at the hospital. • In support of this ate 3ment he called a lad named Harry Berrows, who deposed to finding the defendant (Brawn) lying in an insensible state, bleeding from a wound on the head, near the palisade, which had been knocked down. Defendant's position was such as to indicate he had fell over them The complainant (Matthews) told witness that he struck Brawn with the hammer on the head. Mr. Baker said it was a most murderous assault which Brawn had committed, and he would have to go to gaol for two months with hard labour. The cross summons would be dismissed.  Defendant, who did not for some moments seem to at all realise the judvment of the Court, waq then taken from the dock.