The Sun. — 1856-08-05 (London, England)

SOUTHWARK. CON. AND ASSAULT.— &matt Blarkhans, a married woman, the wife of a cabdriver, was brought before Mr. Seeker, charged with committing an assault on Elizabeth Martin under the following singular circumstances : The complainant, a good-looking young widow, said she resided with her three children at ber father's, Johnstreet-mews, Harper-street. Her father was the proprietor of two horses and cab, which was driven by the prisoner's husband. Witness had the receiving of the money from him and the settling about the cab. On Sunday morning, shortly before eight o'clock, while she was at the breakfast table cutting the bread and butter, the doer was burst open, and in rushed the prisoner, exclaiming, " Where's my husband ! I'll have him or your life." Witness was so frightened at her that she attempted to get out of the room, but she seized her by the head, and taking up a table-knife, threatened to murder her. In the struggle the table was upset, and all the tea-cups broken. Witness screamed out " Murder," when her father came from the stable, as well as the prisoner's husband, and the latter turned her out of the room, and kept her there until a policeman was procured to take her into custody. The prisoner said she had been cruelly treated by her husband, who had left her nearly twelve months to live with Mrs. Martin. On Sunday morning, while she was going for some milk, she beard that her husband was in complainant's house. She went there, and, on opening the door, saw him in Mrs. Martin's bed. She pulled the clothes off, and tried to pull him out of her bed, when complainant seized hold of her, and they had a sculls together, but she never took up a knife to threaten her.  The complainant denied that defendant'i husband was in her bed. He certainly was in the room, and prevented his wife from injuring her.  The defendant here exclaimed that her husband then jumped out of bed almost in a state of nudity, and as for the tea-cups being broken, that was caused in the scuffle. John Barrett, the father of the complainant, said he was in his stable on Sunday morning-when-he heard his daughter scream out " Murder." He at once proceeded to her assistance, and went and fetched a constable. The defendant said she would murder them both.  This witness was cross-examined by Mr. Seeker as to the prisoner's husband cohabiting with his daughter, and being in her bed on the morning in question, and he. prevaricated to such an extent as to leave no doubt that such was the fact. His worship remarked that their conduct was disgraceful, but still the defendant had no right to rush into the house and commit the assault. The defendant said that her husband bad neglected to support her, and hearing that he was in Mrs. Martin's bed on Sunday morning, she could dot help going after him and attempting to pull him out of bed, when they had a scuff) together. Mr. Secker told her that if her husband neglected to provide for her she must go to the parish authorities, and not enter other persons' houses, however depraved they might be. She must be fined 10s. for the assault, and he should advise her for the future to keep away from the complainant.  L