The Northern Daily Times. — 1857-01-19 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

WIFE BEATING .RELIEVING OFFICER.  At the Worship street Police court, London, on Friday, Mr. Alfred Hughes. the assistant relieving officer of the hamlet of Mile end New town, was brought up in custody before Mr. Hammill, charged with a series of aggravated assaults upon his wife. The complainant, Phoebe Hughes, a delicate looking woman, who exhibited extreme emotion, stated that she bad been married several years to the defendant, by whom she bad a family of four children, and that he had subjected her, for a long time past, to a systematic course of cruelty. On the previous evening she was invited by her landlady to accompany her to the theatre. On returning shortly after eleven o'clock, she found that her husband had reached home before her in a state of intoxication, and that he was then lying asleep on the children's bed. Not wishing to disturb him, witness directly retired to rest in an adjoining room, and was composing herself to sleep, when the defendant suddenly entered, and imperatively ordered her to get up immediately and leave the house. On remonstrating with him upon his cruelty in turning her into the street at such an hour of the ni4ht, the defendant forcibly dragged her out of bed and dealt her a savage kick on the lower part of the back, from the effects of which she had been ever since in a state of excruciating pain. The defendant was proceeding to other acts of violence, when the landlord of the house and other persons hastened to her assistance, and rescued her from further ill-treatment. Mr. Christopher Hayman stated that the defendant and his family had occupied apartments in his house for the last week, and during that brief period he had been repeatedly called upon and interfered for the protection of the complainant against the violence of her husband. On the previous night, witness accidentally met him in the neighbourhood, and on telling him that his wife had been induced by Mrs. Hayman to accompany her to the theatre for a little recreation, the defendant declared, with a dreadful imprecation, that she should have cause to suffer for it before the night was over. Witness saw no more of either of the parties until a late hour of the night, when he was disturbed by loud cries of " Murder," and on hastening down stairs he heard the sound of several violent blows in their apartment, which was followed by a heavy fall upon the flu ir. Witness immediately obtained the assistance of a policeman, and on bursting opea the door, the complainant rushed out in a state of pitiable distress and agitation, and the defendant, who was decide dly intoxicated, was ultimatelely given into custody. Police constable Reading, H 214, gave corroborative evidence, and added that on their way to the station house the complainant declared that her husband was in the constant habit of ill treating her, and that he had lately knocked out three of her teeth. In answer to tha charge the prisoner admitted the last assault, but said that he had acted under feelings of strong provocation. Mr. Hammia said that it was a very gross and lamentable case. and it was only in consideration for his unhappy wife and family that he abstained from committing him to prison for the full termof six months, but as such a sentence must inevitably involve the loss of his situation, he would afford him an opportunity to enter into satisfactory arrangements for their separate maintenance. In the course of the day, Mr. Proctor, the vestry clerk of the parish, attended in court, and having undertaken that a sufficient proportion of the defendant's salary should be appropriated for the support of his wife arid children, the defendant was ordered to put in substantial bail to be answerable for his good behaviour for the next six months.