Darlington & Richmond Herald. — 1874-06-06 (Darlington, Durham, England)

WHITBY.  POACHING NEAR WHITDY.—At the Whitby Police Court, on Ssturday, Robert Rnseil and George Noble were fined 1/. each, with 19s 61 costs, for tr-spAssing in pursuit of coni., on li.nd near Whitby. owned by Mr Jo,.eph of Leeds. The offence wis proved by S,aniiel Widison, gamekeeper, who 93,Y the defendants range abortthe fields with a dog, about five o'clock in the morning of the 16thillay. Mr R. E. Pannett was for the prosecution, and Mr S. Wilkinson for the defence.  SENTENCES FOR BRUTFIL ASSXULTS AT WHITBY —At the Whitby Police Court, on Saturday, John Longster, fisherman, Staithe,s, was charged with assaulting Sarah Douglas. The defendant struck at c.)mplainant between the eyes and knocked her down, and a'so hit a child, breaking its arm. Defendant was fined 1/. and costs.—D avid Peart.also a fisherman, was indicted for assaulting Richard Storr on the 23rd May. Defendant went to complainant's house, and demanded that the door should be opened or he would smash it in. Complainant's wife, an oil woman, opened the door, and defendant rushed in. Accorcliug to the. evidence, he felled the old woman, struck the daughter in the breast, whereat she faintel, threatened to pull down tho clock, broke e chair, pulled down the shutters of the window, mnakhed some of the panes, and ended by biting the old man's (the complainant) finger. The Bench fined defendant 1/. for the assault, and ordered him to pay the costs of the repair of the damage he had itilictel. MURDEROUS ASSAULT ON A ROUSEKEEPEu.—On Saturday, at the North Riding Police Court, Whitby, John Spence, mason and contractor, was chterged with an aggravated assault upon his housekeeper,. Annie Major, at Landseud, near Whitby, on the 27th May. The parties have lived together for a long time, add apparently have led a most unhappy life. The complainant lived with defendant in the capacity of housekeeper. Formerly she was the wife of a wealthy and respectable farmer, but since her husband's death she has given way to habits of intemperance, and has frequently been brought before the local magistrates, and convicted for drunkenness. She is yet in receipt of a comfortable annuity, and shares it with defendant. From the evidence given, but given reluctantly, by the complainant on Saturday, it would appear that defendant went home on the day mentioned the worse for drink. He had some meat with him, and complained that nothinghad beuu prepared for him. She told him that if ho had anything she would soon make it ready. He became violent, and swore that he would have his meat cooked at another place. He left the house taking the meat with him. He afterwards returned by the front door, which, when he had entered, he locked. He then commenced tt. violent attack upon the poor woman. He took up the axe, with which she had been chopping some meat, struck her over the skull with it, and felled her to the ground. He then, while she was laid down, kicked her on several parts of the, body. She screamed out "Murder," and shortly after wards Police-constable Dennis, stationed at Lytbe, got to the back door, and called upon defendant to open it. Uitimately he got in, and complainant was brought to Whitby, where' she was attended to by a medical man.— Dr. Tinley was now called, and spoke as to the character of the wounds, which, he said, might have been caused by the axe produced.—The Chairman of the Bench, Mr Farsyde, remarked that it was a wonder the poor woman had not been murdered.—Mr S. Wilkinson, solicitor, who appeared to watch the case on behalf of the defendant, said that he had only to say that defend' ant was very sorry for what he hail done. He was afraid it was through drink.—The Bench committed him to prison, without the alternative of a fine, for two months' hard labour.