The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1893-10-27 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

MOTHER'S WRONGS AT NEATH.  SOME STRANGE DOINGS.  At the Neath Borough Police-court on Monday —before the Mayor (Councillor E. Evans-Bevan), the Ex-mayor (Councillor J. D. Llewellyn), Messrs P. Charles, Hopkin Jones, J. B. Davies, Teague, J. Fear Davies, and D. T. Sims—John Edw..rd Hughes, clerk, Aberdare, was summoned at the instance of his mother, Mrs Margaret Hughes, Aberdulais, for assault, alleged to have been committed on Sunday, the 15th inst. He pleaded guilty.  Complainant stated that on the day in question, about six o'clock in the evening, she was proceeding along the canal-bank towards Neath, when she met her son near the bridge. He was coming from the opposite direction. Complainant passed her son, but he had no sooner turned his back upon her than he turned round and made use of some bad language, and remarked "I have met you, have I"! and with this remark he commenced beating her with a silverdleaded walking stick in a most brutal fashion. Complainant pleaded several times to be let alone, but he said " I will murder you." Mr C. Curtis (the magistrates' clerk) : Are you afraid of him  Complainant. Not as a general rule. Defendant (excitedly) : Are you aware that John Jones has been the ruin of our family? Complainant : Yes, I understand. Here the defendant commenced to go into family matters, and the Mayor had frequently to request. him to keep to the charge of assault and put all family matters on one side. Defendant : Did I strike you wilfully? Complainant: fes, you did. Q : And wasn't this John Jones with you? A : Yes.  Q: And on Saturday when I came down from Aberdare didn't you threaten me with a poker in the house°  A : No, certainly not. Betty Davies spoke as to seeing a large bruise on the complainant's body. The defendant then stated that he did not strike at his mother but John Jones, and, unfortunately, ho evaded the blow, which struck his mother. John Jones, he again said, had been the ruination of their family. Complainant: And hasn't it cost your father and 1.100 to learn you music  Defendant, conti'nuing, said that his mother never went to see her husband, but carried on with John Jones, as if they were man and wife. She had even enticed young men into the house on Sundays and other days and sold them beer as if it was a public-house. Complainant: It is a pack of lies. Defendant, again continuing, said that father had remonstrated with her several times, and asked why she was carrying on in that way for, and she used to tell him to go to Aberdare, as she did not care to see him again. John Jones had actually asked defendant to accompany him and defendant's mother to the World's Fair, but defendant naturally declined. Both John Jones and his mother had passed as man and wife in the "Lamb and Flag," Neath, and other public-houses, and on Saturday evening, the day of the alleged assault, he failed to recognise them, as they were walking along the canal bank arm-in-arm. He considered it a disgrace to him and his father the doings of his mother and this man, John Jones, who resided at the Crlais, Aberdulais, so talked about.  The Bench inflicted a penalty of Is and costs, or in default three days. At the same time the Mayor stated that the defendant had had a great deal of provocation, but on no account had he an excuse to strike his mother.