The Northern News. — 1898-12-03 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

GRAVE CHARGE OF CRUELTY AT BLACKBURN.  MALE DEFENDANT FAINTS IN THE BOX. At Blackburn, on Saturday, Daniel Houghton and his wife, Sarah Houghton, 169, Duke's brow, were summoned at the instanoe of the N.5.P.0.0. for assaulting and ill-treating Lily May Hoggarth in a manner likely to cause her unnecessary suffering. In opening, Mr. Carter said the girl was an orphan, eleven years of age, and two years ago she came from Cumberland to reside with the defendants. The girl had had to get up at 5-30 in the morning and do all the housework. She had been badly treated, for she had been struck with the fist and with a stick and astrap, the child having had to undress at times, PO that the punishment might be inflicted. While Mr. Carter was addressing the Bench, the male defendant fainted in the box, and the case could not be proceeded with for some minutes. Mr. Carter said the defendants appeared to be respectable people, and there was not a word or suggestion that there was any drink in the question. The child itself had been properly clothed and well fed.—The child corroborated, and admitted that she was sometimes thrashed because she had told lies. On Wednesday, the 18th instant, she was thrashed severely by defendants because a Mrs. Barrett had told the female defendant that the day before witness, who had been left in the house, had been very rough, and had been climbing on the wall and "Iliving cheek" to an old man.-Inspector Turner said he visited the house on Saturday, and found the little girl's arms black all over. There were several bruises on the back, and in on* or two places the skin was broken. Mrs. Houghton confessed she was disgusted with herself, and said she would not beat her again if he would look over it. The child had lived with him since, and both defendants had sines called at his office and expressed their extreme regret.—Mr. Riley asked the magistrates to deal as leniently as possible with the defendants. The girl had been very troublesome. Mrs. Houghton must have lost her head, however, when she beat her on the Wednesday.—Daniel Houghton was fined 20s. and ante, and Sarah Houghton was sent to prison for two months.  Wath Station, on the Midland Railway near %motley, has been entirely surrounded by wateo since midnight owing to the giving way of the riqer bank. The station itself and all surrounding buildings are also flooded. At the Kent Assizes, on Friday, James Howe, charged with murdering his wife at Ashfor.l by knotkincr her about, was found not guilty, sad was acquitted. The defence was that the deceased sustained her fatal injuries by falling about the room. _  • The stable lad, Luddon, who was admitted lo the Savernake Cottage Hospital, Marlborough. on Monday, suffering from injuries to the head and b. ly, died in that institution on Saturday. It ha* not yet transpired how the injuries were inflicted. The deceased lad is said to belong to Manchester. Women are advancing in America. Authoresses in 1870 numberthl 159, last year they reached the grand total of 5,163; clergywomen in 1870 were only 67. they are pow 1,522. It is a pity that theee statistics are not accompanied by some statement as regards the position of men. What, for instance, is the difference between 1870 and 1898 in the number of men who wash clothes and nurse babies! Also, we should like to know if male attemis,ee at churches has improved since the advent of "clergywomen." The Corn:nun:ll authorities a Ghent have decided to provide the policemen on night duty with domi cay.llo- of defending them in the event if attack. Leaders of society in Philadelphia having come to the conclusion that fashionable women need more sleep, have arranged a meeting for December Ist to inaugurate earlier hours for stopping dances. ...y waist dancing to begin at 9 p.m. instead of 11 p.m., so that girls will retain their fresh complexions. The Sultan has presented an .Arab thoroughbred to Sir E. Ashmead-liertlett. The record schoolboy who attende school for ten years mithout a single miss, and without once being tate. i not a record after all. Two letters appear in the "Tel-graph" claiming equal eminence in wir,ol attendance. One family between them have put in no less than 57 years of unbroken attendance at a single school, which seems to prove that a confirmed habit may become hereditary.