The Commonwealth. — 1867-07-06 (London, England)

WIFE SEEKING A NETV HUSBAND. At the Birmingham Police-office, on Monday, an amusing case was heard before the stipendiary magistrate. William Charington, 38, jeweller, 3, Brightonplace, New Summer-street, was charged with assaulting Mr. Abraham Rosenthall, hat and cap manufacturer, 35, Snow-hill, and also "with being found in his bedroom." The prosecutor has two shops, the one mentioned above, and another at 28, Dale-end, which he manages himself, leaving his wife to attend to the shop in Snow-hill. On Saturday night she as usual sent the "takings of the day" to her husband by a servant. Mr. Rosenthal', disappointed at the small amount, told the servant that he would walk down to Snow-hill and see his wife about it, as he did not believe that the money given to him was all that she bad received. On arriving there, he found the house locked up, but by the aid of a neighbour he got in the back way. Having lighted the gas, he was going upstairs when he met his wife in her night-dress, who, addressing him, said," How you did frighten me ! " Mr. Rosenthall answered that "He did not," and, announcing that he wanted to know what money she had received, proceeded into the bedroom to discuss the point. There, however, he was surprised by the discovery on the drawers of a neck-tie which did not belong to him, and on looking round the room his eyes rested upon a pair of man's boots which were not his property. He immediately turned to his wife and said, "You must have a man here ! " His wife making no reply, Mr. Rosenthal' commenced searching the room, and under the bed, lying tranquilly on his back, was a man (who proved to be Charington), clothed only in a shirt. "Come out," said the prosecutor, and proceeded to pull the prisoner from underneath the bed. The accused, not liking this treatment, seized Mr. Rogenthall by the hair of his head, -and commenced assaulting him, striking him on the face, chest, and other parts of his body. Cries of " Murder " and " Police " were raised, and Police-constable No. 172, after some trouble found his way with another constable to the stairs, which he at once ascended. Arrived at the top, he saw "something" pass across the landing, and seizing hold of it, he found that it was Mrs. Rosenthal' in her nightdress. That lady appeared much alarmed, and told the policeman that "Murder was being done in her bedroom," whereupon the officer made his way to the "nuptial chamber" and found the two men struggling together. Which to take, or how to interfere for a moment, he did not know, but he soon ascertained the facts, and then, not, however, without great difficulty, he took the prisoner to the police-station. The accused, who throughout the hearing of the case conducted himself as though he had done nothing wrong, said in defence, that on Saturday night last he was passing doWn Snow-hill when he saw three persons, one of whom was Mrs. Rosenthal!, in the prosecutor's shop. They called him in, and asked him to take a drop of gin, which they were drinking. He did so,-and sent for a drop more. By the time that had been Consumed it was closing time, but he (plisoner) was asked to remain by Mrs. Rosenthal'. That lady, addressing him, and pointing to a man, one of those present then, said, "Here's a man in want of a wife." He (the prisoner) then said to Mrs. Rosenthall, "Am you not married?" and she replied, ." No,l want a husband," and asked him to stay all night. That was the fact of the matter. He went into a back room "to wait for her," when that man, pointing to the servant (who was in •Court), went for her husband. He (the prisoner) did not know that she was married, or he Would not have been there.  Mr. Gem (magistrate's clerk) to the servant : You never knew him to pay a visit of that kind before?  /Co, sir. _ Mr. Gem: You would not tolerate it, I am Mr. kynnersley said he was very sdkry for the prisoner, because he appeared to be free from all blaind; but he (the stipendiary) had only the assault case to deal witlt. The prisoner was liable to a pennlty of ;f25, or two months' imprisonment, but be would he fined 40s. and costs, or in default twenty-one days' iinprisonru2nt.