The Express. — 1846-11-12 (London, England)

MARLBOROUGH-STREET. —AN ASSAI:LT AND • Love AFFAlR.—Edicard John Kinnersky Baker, Esq., of 52, Park.street, Grosvenor-square, was summoned before Mr. Hardwick for having unlawfully assaulted • young medical gentleman, named William Fenton.—The complainant Raid he was walking in Burlington-street, on Saturday last, when the defendant crossed over the street on perceiving him, and on coming up to him he immediately struck him on the face, and grappled with him. Complainant struggled with the defendant, and both fell on the pavement together. The defendant left him uttering threats of future violence. Complainant had more than once been attacked by the defendant in a similar way, and FO persevering was the defendant in his violence, be went about the streets in constant fear. The quarrel had its origin in some family matters, which if necessary he was willing should be explained. Mr. Hardwick asked the defendant to explain his conduct. —Defendant This is only an ipse dirit statement, and therefore it appears to me there is no necessity for making any defence to it.--Mr. Hardwick: I totally differ from you, and I call on you for your defence.—Defendant: Oh, then, I shall state the reason why I assaulted the defendant. The defendant persists in carrying on a clandestine correspondence with my sister, and, although all the family are averse to any acquaintance with him, he will persevere in his clandestine meetings. I wish first to ask him who was in his company when I assaulted him on Saturday ?—Complainant: Your sister. But I deny that I keep up a clandestine correspondence with the lady. I have the sanction of her father to my attentions, although 1 admit other branches of the family are not so favourably disposed.— Defendant: I deny that the complainant has the sanction of any part of my family for his clandestine correspondence with my sister. My father is here to prove he never sanctioned his addresses. So far from that bring the case, he told me, as the complainant continued to persevere in his pretensions to my sister, to take any steps I thought most likely to rid the family of his annoyance.—Mr. Hardwick: You may entertain objections to the complainant's acquaintance with your sister, and your family may join with you in your opinion, but you must not attempt to put your views in force by violence, whenever you happen to meet him in the public street. You must find bail ; two sureties in 251. each, and yourself in 501.—Defendant: Will not my solemn promise to abstain from violence satisfy the court ?—Mr. Hardwick : It will not satisfy the complainant, and therefore you must find bail. TH AM ES.—John Middleton, a combmakcr by trade, and who resides at 22, Philip-street, St. George's-in-the-East, was charged with assaulting his wife, Mary Middleton, iu the following brutal and unmanly manner:—The complainant, who appeared in an extremely delicate state of health, and whose head, neck, fact, and jaws were all over discoloured with marks, as if from recent violence, stated that on the night of Tuesday the ad inst. she returned home with her husband, after haying been out for a night's amusement. She knocked at the door a little more loudly than usual, upon which he said, " What is that for? " and instantly struck her to the ground. When she got up they went into their own apartment, and her husband having locked the door, renewed the attack upon her. lie first dealt her a heavy blow on the face which stretched her on the floor dorm senseless, and whilst dawn he seized her by the hair and dashed her head against the ground several tiniest. Not satisfied with this, he fell to kicking her on the head, face, and arm, while she screamed out " Murder " as loudly as she could. She perceived that she had four wounds upon the head, from which the blood flowed profusely. The police, hearing her cries, came to her assistance, when a surgeon was Pent for, and after that s' e remembered nothing more until she found herself in her bed. A student of the London Hospital, named Lilly, saw the prosecutrix about three o'clock in the morning of the 4th instant. On examining her he found three severe wounds on her head, and a fourth on her forehead. She seemed to have been severely injured, and terribly bruised and beaten about the head, arms, and neck. She was for aco siderahic time in • dangerous state. The prisoner, in his defence, endeavoured to throw the whole blame upon his wife, who, he said, was a woman of very violent temper, and that, being in liquor at the time, she struck him several blows. He was committed to Newgate.