The Sun. — 1857-11-19 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OP CRUELTY AGAINST A  82 3  RUSBAND.-IN RE WILLIAM KEMP.  1061  MINES.  i i d pai r li 2  "• --- •• • 11 - 13  Mr. Power applied on the part of Anna Maria Kemp that she might be allowed to exhibit articles of the peace against her husband, William Kemp, ironmonger, of 'Woodbridge, Suffolk, for cruelty.* The articles stated that applicant was married about 9 years ago to the defendant, and that for two years past he had treated her with great cruelty, frequently during that time he had laid violent hands upon her, and had threatened to take away her life. In July and August last, and on several occasions whilst in bed with him, she had been awoke by feelings of suffocation. On one occasion she found one of his hands over her mouth and with the other he was pressing her nose, to prevent her breath ing. In 1855 her husband, whilst she was in bed with him asleep, attempted to strangle her by violently pull ing the string of her night cap. He threatened also to smother her and otherwise injure her. Oa the night of the 26th October last she went to bed with her husband, and in the course of the night she was awoke from her sleep by finding that he had violently grasped her arm with one hand, and with the other he was pressing her head with great force on her chest, so as to prevent her breathing, and thus strangle her. She, however, succeeded in breaking away from him, and took refuge in tbo servant's room, where she remained awake the remaining portion of the night. In the morning, en complaining to him of his coaduot, he threatened to garotte her. On the 29th October she informed her parents of her husband'e cruelty; and on their advice she applied to a magistrate for proteotion from her husband's violent conduct, and he recommended her to leave him and return and live with her parents, who resided at Hadleigh, about 17 miles from Woodbridge. She did so, bat returned to him again en his promise never again to hurt her. She, however, had scarcely returned home before he seized her violently by the arm, and bending her finger so as to cause her great pain, he tore her wedding ring from her finger, and had refused to give it her again. The same night he seat the only female domestic servant that was in the house away, and she had to remain with him alone ; he, however, went out, and did not return home till near two o'clock is the morning. Applicant, in the meantime, being afraid to sleep with him, went and laid down in a room adjoining her husband's bedroom, and on his return she overheard him talking to himself, as homes in the habit of doing, saying that he would take her gold watch from her and murder her. He threatened her several times, and being afraid of her life, she sat up all that night, She then went home to her parents, who agreed to support her if her husband would contribute 101. a-year to her support, but he would only give her 2e. 6d. per week. which being too little she was obliged again to return to him. On the Ist of November she applied to the same magistrate as on a previous occasion for his protection but he refused to entertain her application and bind her husband over to keep the peace, advising her to separate from him and return and live with her parents. Applicant stated her belief that the magistrate had been improperly influenced by some parties and attributed to that his declining to call upon her husband to provide sureties of the peace. She was in daily bodily fear of her life.  ..d 39 - 41 10 - 12  ia r 14 - 15 71 - 1 0 - 4  ••• - ••• 6 - 6  2 3d  Lord Campbell—l very much regret the magistrate referred to did not order, when applied to, the husband to find sureties of the peace, so as to render it unne• canary for the applicant to have applied to this court. We think she is entitled to our protection, and we grant the application. I don't think the magistrate, in refusing to call upon the husband to find sureties, acted from improper motives, but he was certainly wrong, according to the wife's statement, in refusing her application.  Mr: Po.wer--Then your lordships order a writ of attachment to issue.  Lord Campbell—yes. The writ was accordingly issued.