Widnes Examiner. — 1899-09-01 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

NEGLECT OF FAALILY AT WARRINGTON.  A BRUTAL FATHER DESERVEDLY PUNISHED.  At the Warrington Police Court, on Monday, before Mr. F. Monks (in the chair) and other magistrates, Frederick Noton, 29, Leicester-street, was charged on a warrant with ill-treating and neglecting his five children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering and injury to health. Mr. A. Browne prosecuted on behalf of the N.S.P.C.C. He said the case was a very bad one. The man was served personally with a summons and should have appeared at Court on Friday. As he did not come a warrant was issued, and he was apprehended on Saturday by Detective Delahay. When arrested be said" You are just in time. I was off to Liverpool." The man was going to leave his wife and children, without doubt, to get out of the way of the police. He was a stonemason's labourer and his regular wages were 255. a week. Be had given his wife very little for the past two months. He bad also illtreated his daughter Bertha, on one occasion hitting her in the mouth with his fist and bursting one of her lips. Annie Noton. defendant's wife, said her husband bad been working for seven years, but bad not had much employment last week. In six weeks he had given her 13s. 6d. altogether, and in the fortnight previous to that she had received ss. Her eldest daughter earned 2s. 6d. a week. Neighbours had had to give the cbildren foed. Defendant illtreated his daughter Bertha, and on one occasion took a carving knife upstairs with him. Defendant denied all the charges against him. He said he had been walking about lately, as Messrs. Williams and Clay had no work for him to do. The Chairman : Messrs. Williams and Clay don't say so in their letter to us, as they say they have a pretty fair amount of work on band.  Defendant: I only get sd. an hour. I have not been drawing the amount of money my wife says I have been drawing. I have given her more than she says. How could she have lived otherwise?  Councillor Shaw Green: Did you not hear her say she has had aasiitance from her neighbours Defendant: I have given her all I have drawn... . _ .  Bertha Noton, daughter, said her fattier once hit her in the face because her little brother was crying for clothes, making her lips bleed. He had threatened to cut their throats. She was afraid of him because he said he would murder her. Annie Leader, 21, Leicester-street, SSW she bad given the children food several times in each week. She bad seen defendant under the influence of drink, and his family had come to her for protection. Detective Delahay said he visited the house on the 7th August, and saw the girl Bertha. Her face was very much swollen, and her gums were inflamed. Be was presented at the Police Court on the 141:13 August, when defendant was fined 105 and costs for drunkenness. Defendant said be was sober and if he bad appeared at Court he would have been let off.  P.C. Turner said he visited the house on July 25th in company with Inspector Hackett. They went upstairs and examined the bedrooms, and found them to be in a most filthy state. There were no bedclothes, and he and the Inspector were covered with vermin after being in the house for a time. He (witness) had known the man for a considerable time; he was a drunkard, but his wife was an industrious woman. P.S. Evans said he reported the man for being drunk and disorderly after 11 o'clock at night on the 14th August. He had turned his wife and children into the street, and called her foul names. Inspector Hackett said he had visited the house time after time. He did not consider the wife was te blame for the neglect. She kept the house fairly clean, but had no money to buy soap or anything .to keep It in a proper condition. Defendant sAid he was very sorry for what had occurred. If the magistrates would look over the offence, he would agree to his wife having 17s a week ; of his wages. She could get it from Williams and Clay's where he worked. The Chairman said the Bench considered the case a very aggravating one, and defendant would have to go to gaol for three months. Defendant: Oh, don't gentlemen. Mr. Birchall : This is the only way to deal with men, like you.