The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1888-03-31 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

CLERGYMAN SENT TO PRISON  FOR A MONTH.  EXTRAORDINARY CASE.  At the Greenwich Police Court last Saturday the Rev. T. R. Smithson, of 9, Southbrook-road, Lee. was summoner) for assaulting Ernest Fowles, professor of music, of 23, Ladvwell Park, Lewisham, and threatening to shoot Mrs Fowles, mother of the other cotnplainana—Mr Ford appeared for the complainant, and said the defendant was the proprietor 0 the Lee Grammar School, where Mr Fowles's younger brother was a boarder. In consequence of some correspondence which had passed, Mrs Fowles travelled from Southsea to see the defendant, and took her son with her. The rev, gentleman seemed to have lost his temper, and to have knocked the complainant about in the most cruel : manner.—Ernest Fowles, the complainant, said that on the 14th inst. he and his mother went to the defendant's house, and were received courteously by Mrs Smithson. As soon as the defendant entered the room he said that Mrs Fowles was not to bring her nonsense into his house, and he would have no lies' there. He threatened twice to shoot her, and the witness then said he would go for a policeman, thinking the defendant had a revolver in his possession. Two ladies— Mrs Smithson and her sister—rushed in from another room and caught hold of him to prevent him going for a constable. The defendant then ran at him and struck him a blow in the eye, afterwards kicking him and aging him most cruelly. At last he succeeded in getting out of the house. During the assault he was held by the two women, aud the defendant used had expressions and threatened to murder him.—Mr bawltagu Williams read a letter written by Mr Fowles, senr., from Southsea, and a reply by the defendant, in which he said, "I am not at all surprised to receive your insolent letter ;" and, later on in the letter, he said, " My opinion of you is that you aro a low, ignorant person, of no education, and incapable of understanding the actions of a gentleman."--In cross-examination by the defendant the complainant denied that he shook his umbrella in the defendact's face, or struck him on the temple with it.—Mrs Fowlee, mother of the complainant, gave corroborative evidence, and said that the defendant caught her son by the throat, and disabled him entirely. He also struck him several blows and kicked him. He used an offensive expression, which she wrote on paper and handed to the magistrate.—The Magistrate said it was almost iucredible that a clergyman should have used such language. —Cross-examined, the witness said the defendant did not apologise. She did not call him names.—Evidence was then given to show that the complainant went to the police, by whom marks of violence were observed upon him. --The defendant said that when the complainants went to his house they began to abuse him. He was the attacked party, and did not strike the complainant until after he had struck him with the umbrella. He denied using the expression imputed to him. He did not say he would shoot Mrs Fowles, but would hoot her. He had lost SAO over this matter. His sister-in-law was in Dorset. shire, and could not attend.—MrWilliams offered to adjourn the case for her attendance; but the defendant said he did not wish it.—Mrs Smithson said she heard no threats used. The Cora' plainants were in a dreadful temper. The defendant did not assault Mr Fowles until Mr Fowles had struck him with his umbrella. Her husband was terribly aggravated.—Mr Williams said the assault was about as brutal and tin provoked as could well be imagined, and the defendant had called Mrs Fowles a name which WU disgraceful. If a poor man had been before him on this charge he would have sent him to prison for a month, and that was the sentence he passed on the defendant, considering that a fine would not meet the requirements of the case.