The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1882-01-14 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

NICE HUSBAND.  AT the Borough Police-court, on Saturday, before Mr. Preston, Henry Walker, a young man, a butcher at St. Paul's-road, Tranmere. was charged with being drunk and riotous and assaulting Inspector Spann on the previous night. Inspector Spann said that about midnight he was on duty in Old Chester-road when he heard screams of "Murder 1" from a woman and some children. He went in the direction of the cries, and when about twenty yards from the prisoner's house he saw the door I opened and a young man, a cripple, was thrown out into the street. Then three o hildren were thrown out one after another. Witness went to the door of the shop ard found the prisoner behind it beating his wife. He forced the door open and found the prisoner was standing over his wife, who was lying on the floor. The prisoner threw his wife over a meat bench and attacked the inspector, grabbing him by the neck and attempting to throw him over another beneh. Witness prevented him, when he left him, looked the door, and swore he would murder him, He went inside the back place, and his wife then entreated the witness to go out, or she murder would happen. The prisoner came oat from inside with something in his hand, and witness then went out into the street. The prisoner followed him out anti attacked him in the street, when he took him into /mato& and locked him up at the TrimMere Bridewell. He was very violent on the Way, and was in a state of intoxication.  The prisoner denied the right of the inspector to enter his house without a warrant, and also declared that he was not drank. Inspector Spann said the wife was afraid to appear against him. He was a slink butcher, arid he was a greet brute towards his wife, who had frequently complained about his conduct. He had been summoned by her time after time, the last occasion being only • week since, when she was afraid .to appear against him. She had informed him that the prisoner had served several terms of imprisonment at Manchester for ill-treating her. Mr. Preston said it was evident the prisoner was a great brute. He was found throwing the children out of the house, and the wife entreated the officer to leave, fearing that there would be bloodshed. The wife was evidently afraid of him, and he (Mr. Preston) did not wonder at it. If his wife had appeared against him he would have given him the heaviest punishment in his power. He had, however, assaulted the officer in a very violent way, and must be imprisoned for three months with hard labour. On Monday the wife appeared before Mr. Preston and complained of the accounts of the ease which had appeared in the Liverpool newspapers. She said that the statement made by Inspector Spann was untrue, and that the children were not thrown out by her husband, but were put oat by the .young cripple living with them for fear their noise , might make her husband angry. Mr. Preston told her that she ought to have appeared, and that he had no farther jurisdiction in the matter. She might, if she chose, indict Inspector Spann for perjury, or she could make s statement to the Home Secretary. The woman left the court apparently very dissatisfied.