Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1875-09-18 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

BRUTAL TREATMENT OF A WIPE AT STOCKTON. On Friday before Messrs Lockwood, Bening., ton and Henderson, at the Borough Court, Stockton, John Horsfield was brought up under remand, charged with committing an aggravated assault upon Teresa Horsfield, his wife, on the 22nd August. Mr Edwards appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Draper for the defence. The evidence was as follows :—Teresa Horsfield said: I am wife of the prisoner. We were married in Deeember and lodged with Mr Wass, the pilot. On the evening of the 22ed August, prisoner came home whilst I was ironing a shirt front. He found fault with something I was doing, and then threatened to murder use. After that Mr Wass came into the kitchen, and my husband said in his presence, "I will be the death of you." Mr Wass got up from the chair, and came between us, saying that he would not have murder done in his house. We then went into another room. Prisoner said he would "Jaw lock me. He took me by the throat and nearly choked me. After that I pot on my hat and jacket. He said " Where are you going ?" I replied, "I am going home to my father !" He then got up and puled eff my el elder, and threw me across the bed. I was violently wrenched by the fall. I struck against the wall. I tried to lift myself up ores r twice, but he threw me back again. That was on a S tturday night or Sunday morning, and I gave birth to a dead child on the Monday week following. The doctor said that the child appeared to have been dead five or six days. Prisoner left me the day I was confined. He wag sober at the time of this being done. I expected that I should be confined about that time. —By Mr Draper: I bad engaged a doctor to attend my confinement, ant told him it would be early in September. It was my first child. • I did not throw a brass candlestick at prisoner. I had not ref wed to wash his clothes. Prisoner did say "If you were not in the state you are, I would be the death of you." After this took place, we lived quietly together seven or eieht days. I did not think during the week that the prisoner's ill-usage had caused al the pain I suffered. I knew that my husband was employed at Blair's and that my husband had his name down to get into a ship as enßineer. He has arranged for me to hayhalf his pay whilst away. If the child had not been born dead this afLir would not have become known. My father objected very much to my marrying the prisoner. It is not at my father's ri quest that I have taken these proceedings. Mr Proetor, assistant to Dr Tarleton, said he had attended prosecutrix in her confinement. He did not attribute the death of the child to ill usuage of its mother. 11l usuage might have caused the pains mentioned by Mrs Horefield.—ln answer to the charge, Mr Draper held that he had no case to answer. Whatever threat might have been alleged, it was shown by complainant's 077 U evidence to have been a conditionalone, and therefoie was not a threat at all. His client had not gone to Whitby to avoid the consequences of what had been alleged against him, and the very fact of them living together a week afterwards showed that the case aas not so serious in eharacter as hal been alleged.—k woman named Elie rbeth Tye said she lodged in the same house as the prisoner and his wife. When coming downstairs on the evening in question, she saw Mrs Borsfield on the floor. Prisoner was saying, "I will make you do it." Complainant said, "I will not do it." He then said, "You must be a bad title b--h," and Mrs Horstield threw a brass candlestick, which struck prisoner's chest. Mrs Horstield then ran into the kitchen, and witness did not eee any thing further.—The Bench reduced the charge to one of common assault, and fined prisoner £3 inolu ling costs.