The Cannock Chase Examiner. — 1874-07-11 (Cannock, Staffordshire, England)

CHILDNEN.—The exammation of Patrick &ley before the Cardiff magistrates revea's 4 course of brutality and cruel neglect which we sincerely treat will be long without a parallel to Wales. Riley was brought before Mr. R. 0. Jones and Mr. If. Bowen charged with having caused the death of his wife. • Mr. L. T. Reece courlneted the prosecution. It wan considered desirable that the ease should be btought before the magistrates in order that the evidence of the children might ho taken, nest was feared that the info.. once of ties Irish residents might be used to induce the boys not to give evidence against their father. Thu Little boy Thomas Riley was ruled, and stated that lie went to bed with his mother on Friday evening, about nine o'clock; she had taken the hod from the bedstead and put it on the floor. He went to sleepabut he woke up on finding his father cud mother quarrelling. lie said that his father .1/11` up, and as she seas lying on i.e floor be kicked her several times on the ride of the bead, and also on the body and the sides. She scream( out when he kicked her, and Palled oat, Oh, oli " She afterwards, when he pushed her off the bed on to the dloor, staggered along the floor to the fire.placc. aud there fell down'. Sho then milled out, "0l may Gal forgive your father for all that he has done... She lay down on the mattress that they had got for her and there vomited. From the evidence of the older lads it appeared that they *ere woke up by the noise, out they only saw their failles put his foot on their mother's face, but he hail they his hoot off. Ile afterwar ?s sktapoil her on the face, bust that was in consequence of her refusing to get up from the floor and come out,' the had which he had put on to the hodatead. When sho was on the floor lying on the bed she vomiteiLand he rola d out to his sous that she would choke, but they paid no attention to her, and OM of them mid, "Lot her im ; she is all right:' When all Seers apparently asleep, Hugh got up and put a rug over his mother. When the younger one promised to get a bed for her to lie on front the coal-hole, the eldest son said, "No ; lot her be i" and another sail that she was "shamming," and "she did not want to fall down without she liked." She had been ailing Lc ,some days, and had taken but little food. Thursday night she sent Hugh for a pint of beer to make her sleep, and it was thought that the beer had tate an effect upon her. Several witnesses were called. They all proved that the woman on the Friday eveninr went to bed quite sober, and that she was a quiet, itusffeusive woman, but that the bust -band treated her very camel]v. He often turned her out . and left her out all night. Other witnesses proved that I on the Thursday they had quarrelled and fought, and . that he then gave her a Wank eye. The inqneat was • adjourned till Media stl.ty, lint before the. magistrates , the case was completed, an I there Dr. Paine gave tho I result of his post.morten, examination, which proved that iisath resulted 1. a ,agestiou of blood on the brain, produced either a blow from an instrument or ; a kick, but it must have ban given with great force, i as the fracture was on the opposite part of the skull to that oft which the blow was given. Congestion of the ; Wm!, also served to accelerate death, hut that had also resu let from violence, nod all the injuries, excepting the 'dock eye, were of recent date. The prison T when i• before the magistrates asked no questious nor made any , reply, and Was committed for trial on the charge of wilful murder of his wife.