Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1877-01-06 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SPONSE AND PURCELL AOAINST STEAD, AND STEAD AGAINST SPONSE AND PURCELL.—A peculiar complication of assault cases between the parties referred to above created a little amusement, and took a considerable time to unravel. According to the account given by Mrs Stead, it appeared that on Saturday evening, whilst she and her husband were in the house, a knock came at the door, an 4 upon a person named Jakes, who was in the  house, opening the door, he was felled by a blow from Robert Purcell. Spouse and Purcell then forced their way into the house, and Spouse dealt her a blow with the coal rake, the wound from which was protected by a bandage, which she offered to remove. He also struck at Jakes, and one of them dealt him a blow with the coal rake, upon which he ran for a fire shovel with which to defend himself. Mr Edgar, who appeared for Purcell, sought to show that the complainants, prisoners, and Mrs Stead were drunk, and also the witness Jakes, but this was denied by the whole of them, who gave evidence in turn, excepting that Mrs Stead admitted , that her husband was " rather fresh," a statement which the latter also admitted, but he added that both Spouse and Purcell kicked him most brutally. No previous quarrel had been beween them. The assaults were so violent that the blows of the poker and coal rake which missed Stead and his wife left marks upon the floor.—On the other side it was alleged that on the above night Purcell, who was quite sober, whilst ascending the stairs leading to his house was met by Stead and Jakes, who instantly felled him, knocking him down the stairs. The former had a poker in his hand, but he could not say what Jakes had. He admitted that there were no marks upon him, and, as a matter of fact, Purcell appeared to be perfectly unscathed. It also seemed that some polite interchanges took place between them, in the course of which Stead was alleged to have used threatening violence to Purcell, whom he called a "A religious b-- !"—Purcell gave evidence to the effect that he had no share in the assault. He was most profuse in his allusions to "speaking the truth between God and man." This properly called forth a rebuke from the Bench, who reminded him that when a witness was sworn to speak the truth such profuse assertions only had the effect of throwing suspicion upon the evidence given.—The only uninterested witness was Joseph Jacobs, a companion of Spouse's son, who deposed to seeing Stead strike Spouse an unprovoked blow on the face.— A man named Outhwaite was called to state that Jakes was drunk.—Sergeant Knowlson was then called, and deposed to being on duty in Darlingtonstreet, and to hearing a cry of murder. On going into the house he saw Sponse and his wife on the stairs, and the former said he had been badly used On entering Stead's room, the latter lay on the bed. and in the centre of the floor was an indentation, which Stead told him had been done by a blow from Purcell or Spouse, which missed its aim.—The Bench, after a brief consultation, decided that the weight of evidence was in Stead's favour. It had been stated that the latter was drunk, but the other parties were sober, but looking at his physique, it was perfectly impossible to believe that an old man like him could, if as drunk as was represented, have inflicted such injuries as were alleged—the more especially as not a mark was to be seen upon Purcell or Spouse, whilst Stead and his wife were palpably injured. They therefore decided to fine Purcell and Spouse 40s 'each, and 8s costs, or one month; and as to the cases against Stead, all the summonses would be dismissed.