Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1892-01-09 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

PATHETIC SCENE IN COURT.  A thrilling and deeply-affecting scene was enacted at Marylebone Police-court on Monday. The chief characters were Elizabeth Whittock, an erring wife, and her husband. The former, who is only 23 years of age, is a tall, genteel young woman) while the latter appeared to be a respectable working man of the artisan class. The wife was before the court for the second time on a charge of attempting to commit suicide. She was seen by Lyte, the Paddington Mortuary keeper, on New Year's Eve,climbing over the brick wall of the tunnel through which the Grand Junction Canal passes at Maida-hill. Long experience in matters of this sort quickened his suspicion, and Lyte at once seized hold of the woman. She struggled to get to the water' and screamed out, "Let me go. I will go." He, however, pulled her back, and she was given into custody. In reply to the magistrate the accused said she had been separated from her husband for two years, and could bear it no longer. She was then remanded, and when the case came befere the court the magistrate was told the husband of the accused was present. At the request of the magistrate the husband entered the witness-box. From that position he had a full view cf his wife as she stood in the dock, and on their eyes meeting the husband burst into tears, turned half round, buried his face in his hands,and sobbed aloud. There was a painful pause in the proceedings. Then the wife shifted to the end of the dock nearest her husband, and, with outstretched arms implored him not to weep. When the husband had composed himself the magistrate asked: How long have you been separated ?—Witness: She left me one year and 10 months ago.—The magistrate: What was the cause of her leaving P—Witness : I cannot say. I had been a good husband to her and she had a good home. It's a long, sad story. We used to live at Woolwich. I've been to Australia and China to try and get the thoughts of her out of my mind. (The witness again wept. )—The magistrate: Will you take her back to your home if I let her go ?—The husband: I shouldn't like to see her go to prison. I will take her back if she will promise to behave better in the future.—The wife's apparent anxiety as to the answer her husband would give to the magistrate's question at once relaxed, and she gave a hysterical shout, and said "I will promise." Slowly falling on her knees in the dock she thrust her arms through the iron railings which surrounded her, and with clasped hands looked steadfastly into the face of her husband, and in tones of deep and intense emotion exclaimed: "On my bended knees I promise you I will, I will, I will."—The assistant-gaoler having assisted her to her feet again, Mr. Montagu Williams said: I don't want to say anything that may further hurt your already much-wounded feelings, but I must say you have got a goo 1, honest fellow as a husband. (The prisoner, emphatically: I know that.) He wishes me to let you go, and promises to take you home again to live with him If you will promise to behave better in the future. —The prisoner: I will, really, sir.—Mr. Williams: Then you are discharged.—The scene had produced a deep impression in court.  „ .