Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1889-05-15 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE ON THE SANDS.  REMARKABLE TREATMENT OF A CHILD.  PRISONER BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES.  At the Swansea Police Court on Wednesday morning, before Dlr. F S. Bishop, Dr. J. G. ; Hall, Colonel Wright, and Mr. Thomas Phillips,: senr., Morgan Morgans (27), puddler, 22, , ' Charles-street, Greenhill, was brought up in . custody, charged with being drunk and cruelly ; illtreating his son, David Francis Grove, aged 6, on the sands on Tuesday afternoon. The court was crowded, the extraordinary facts which were reported in Tuesday's " Leader " having excited considerable interest. Andrew Williams, aged 17, said he had seen the prisoner with a woman and child going towards the stones on the shore. They all sat down and then the child stood up, and the man and woman stripped it of all its clothes. The man then took off his boots and stockings, rolled his trousers up to his knees, and took the child towards the water. The woman followed with the clothes in her arms. The prisoner attempted to make the child go under the water. Witness was then standing near the posts which are driven into the sand. The child refused to go under the water and defendant lifted the child up and then dashed it down with great force. He repeated this several times, the woman meanwhile crying out "Murder" Witness ran out and said if prisoner did not desist he would go for a policeman. Subsequently witness went for a policeman. Joseph Thorne, engine driver on the L. & N. W. R., said on Tuesday afternoon he was engaged in shuntingat the South Dock. His attention WM first called to the prisoner about noon. He was then on the Oystermouth Road, accompanied by two women and a child. They were quarrelling, and the prisoner struck one of the women twice, the second time knocking her down. When witness saw prisoner at one o'clock only one woman was there. They were pulling the child about from one side to the other. They both appeared to be under the influence of drink. When he saw them next the prisoner was in the water with the child, which was naked. At first, witness thought prisoner was trying to bathe the child, but afterwards he saw him lift the child up by the ' arm and leg above his head, and dash it out of ' his hand to the ground. This he repeated ' several times, and the cries of the child could be distinctly heard, though witness was about a quarter of a mile away. Witness • could not stand the treatment the child was • receiving, and, leaving the engine, he went to the sands. By that time they had brought the child out of the water and were dressing it. He asked them what they meant by ill-using the child in that manner ; The woman replied "By G—, who are you? Can't we bathe our child" Though so far away, witness was positive that he had seen the ' prisoner throw the child out of his hands into ' the sea. Before the child was dressed, he saw that there were red marks on its shoulder blade.  Augusta James, the wife of Thomas James, was on the embankment about 10 minutes to 1. Her attention was attracted to the sands by the acreaming of the woman. She saw prisoner throw the child into the water as described by the last witness.  Sarah Jane Grove said she had been living with the prisoner for some years, and he was the father of her children. She lived at Charlesstreet. On Tuesday afternoon she, prisoner, the child, and another woman, intended going to the Humbles. The woman went, but witness, prisoner, and the child, went on the sands, where they bathed the child. Prisoner bathed the child by lifting-it up and down in,the water. He did not let it drop from his hands, They were not drunk, though they had been having a pint or two that morning.. , She had not been quarrelling with the prisoner that morning. They had been playing on the road when witness struck prisoner and he punhed her down. (Laughter.) She did not wish to have a better father for her children than the pis-men (Laughter.) The prisoner, when asked by the Bench if he had anything to say, rephsd that he bed intended no harm. He win, only bathing the child.  the-ti  Mr. Bishop said there appeared to be some doub. SR to how far priwner had ill-treated the child. The Bench would therefore discharge him.