The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1862-11-04 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

ASSAULT. —William Mitchell, a mason, of Montscute, was charged with assaulting and threatening to murder his wife, Caroline Mitchell, on Sunday, the 12th of October.—Mr. H. Paul, of 110-limiter, appeared for the complainant ; defendant conducting his own defence.—The complainant said she had been married to the defendant for about 13 years, but about three years ago she was compelled to have  • I ...  T  I him bound over to keep the peace towards her I During the time they had been married, the habitis. of the defendant had been very bad. On Sunday the 12th of October, he was at home part of the day' but was very unkind in his behaviour towards her' and knocked down two little children who were' with her on that day. Complainant went to chapel in the evening, and when she returned home he was very cross. He very soon afterwards went to bed nod she went up to him to know if he wanted an); supper. Soon after she heard him out of bed ; she went to him and asked him the reason he had been out of bed three times? He said he had not, and called her a "liar," and when she said that he had, be said if she said so again he would knock her b brains out, and into his bed she should not come that night." She then left him and went down stairs, but left the bed. room door open. Complainant went into the back. house, but had not been there many minutes before she saw something white, coming towards her. ate went towards it, and found it was her husband in his shirt only. She said " What in the world tio you here?" To which he replied, " D—you eyes, I will kill you, you have got that b—Warrey, here again with you," and he then knocked het , down with his fist, and said "He would run a pick through her." She called out "Murder," sad Sarah Johnson, whom she had previously spoken to at the front door, came to her. About three years ago, she had him bound over to keep the peace, and upon his promising to become a teetotaller she consented to live with him. En cross-examination the com plainant said her husband was not drunk, and that he bad brought her home four sovereigns on Saturday, the day before the assault, and that OD SNP day afternoon they were singing together.—Sure Ann Johnson said she lived at Stoke, and on the night in question she was near the complainant's house, at about half-past eight. She saw her carry a cat from her house into the backhonee, and shoitly aftewards she heard her cry out "Murder," and seas. plainant came out to her. Witnesshadnot sees Soy. thing of Warrey, and would swear that he had not got into complainant's house whilst she was there. If he had got over the railings she must have seen him. The defendant, in reply to the charge, repeated his previous statement of finding Warry and his wife having improper intimacy, and called Henry Hann, who swore poeitively to seeing Warry hang. iog about the house of the defendant. He wished Warry good night, but ha would not answer. After witness bad gone tibont 20 yards he looked back, and saw him get over the railings and go into Mitchell's stables. He would Swear that the matt he saw was Warry, as he had known him for the past two years. It was a moonlight flight, and ho had on a light jacket and jim crow bat.—After some consultation Mr. Harbin said the Bench had oome to the determination that the defendant had *own a great deal of violence and temper towards Ins wife, and thought it was their duty to bind Mtn over to keep the peace for six months in his own recognizance of £2O, and in one surety for £lO. He, however, could take what measures he liked in regard to the alleged anfaithfulneas of his wife, and bring the matter before the divorce court. —Both Mr. Paul and Mr. Harbin asked the defendant to give up to his wife her clothing, which he would not do, saying she should not have a bit of it, and that he would never live with her again.