The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1873-09-26 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE SCHOOLMASTER AND HIS WIFE. A SCENE IN COURT.  At the Birmingham Police Court, Edward Charles Shaw, a schoolmaster, appeared in answer to a summons charging him with threatening the life of his wife, Ann Shaw, a schoolmistress. The parties were of genteel appearance. Before the case commenced del endant was very excited, and densanded, in an authoritative tone, Mr. Fellows' name, and whether he was a qualified attorney. (Laughter.) Having been supplied with the in. formation, he allowed the case to proceed.—The complainant, who appeared very much affected, stated that between two and three o'clock on the morning of the 16th inst. defendant awoke and commenced to abuse and threaten her, and he used language so obscene and filthy "that it was unfit for the human ear to hear." He continued his abuse until breakfast time, and before she went into her school room she told him that if he persisted in abusing and insulting her and her pupils, she would immediately close the school and leave him. He was so violent and so abusive that most of the pupils were about to leave the school. He repeatedly threatened her, and every night he took a poker into his bed room and menaced her with it. She had been in fear of her life for years. At intervals of a few months he was seized with paroxysms of rage, when he was not responsible for his actions. On the afternoon of the 16th inst. he threatened be would get a pistol and shoot her. He told her be would not be held responsible for her life at any time.—At the conclusion of the complainant's evidence defendant a ked to be allowed to put a question to "the witness." He commenced addressing his wife as Mrs. Shaw, and, to the great amusement of the Court, he asked her what trade her father was.— Mr. Fellows objected to the question, but the Bench thought it was not an improper one, and complainant accordingly replied that "her father was a builder, and his trade included that of a pump maker." (Laughter.)—Defendant, who had now worked himself into such an excited state as to attract the attention of the Bench, then demanded of his wife whether her mother did not commit suicide. (Loud laughter.) —Mr. Follows again objected to the question, and complainant was requested not to answer it —Defendant (to the Court): Well, if you won't hear me, commit me at once. They have accused me of being insane, and lam not. Her (complainant's) mother hung herself, and her uncle used to dance about his garden with a chamber utensil on his head. (Laughter.) I want to show that lam not insane. Her family is as much insane as mine. (Laughter.) Defendant th. n put several questions to his wife, relating to domestic affairs, and on her replying to him, he shouted out. " You are a liar," and taking up the Bible and kissing it, he repeated, "By you are a liar." He said that whenever he went to the school room complainant gave the scholars sugar plums to jeer him and call him a madman. She went to Mr. Jackson, surgeon, and asked him to give a certificate to the effect that he (defend. ant) was insane, and because Mr. Jackson refused, after seeing him, she got into a rage. Defendant, when called upon for his defence, began to read a long rambling statement, written on several sheets of note paper. It related to the most trivial domestic occurrences, and gave a graphic description how Mrs. Shaw's relations sneaked into the house and stole his cigar holder and meerschaum pipe; how his wife went out in the evening without his sanction and without giving an aecount of herself, and, finally, how be was a victim to her temper. For about five minutes defendant read aloud this carefully-prepared document, when the magistrates, considering that the statement was almost ludicrous, and referred to facts quite irrelevant to the ease, and seeing moreover that the defendant was disturbing the proceedings of the Court by provoking loud laughter. ordered him to desist. Ile, however, did not pay the slightest attention to them, and continued, in spite of the protestations of the magistrates and officers of the Court. His voice was rendered almost inaudible by the convulsive laughter of the spvtatcrs; but, raising it to the highe-t pitch, he cant inued reading as it all were attentively listening t, hits. He did out give up reading until the officers of the Court threatened to take the papers from him. —Ur. Goodman said there was no doubt that the defendant had behaved in a very violent manner towards his wife, and had made her afraid of him. He would be bound over in two sureties of -£2O each to keep the peace for si.: mouths, or in default sent to prison for two usonths.—Defendant said he could not obtain the sureties, and preferred going to gaol.  TaAus.—Umbrellas have gone up more than any other class of goods lately.  Mottocco.—The death of the Emperor of Morocco and the advent of his son to the throne will, it may be hoped, exercise some influence in modifying the rehttions of the Empire with other countries. For a long time the posith et of foreign traders in Morocco has been almost intolerable, front the t :tautly and corruption of the Government, and matters were approaching a stage in which it losuned scarcely possible that reelantation of the st,ongest kind could be ion $t delayed. Time, illoney Article. French performances will continue in the course af next month at the Holborn Theatre.  There is news, at last, of Mr. Foley's model for the statue to be placed in the Hyde Park Memorial. " The Gilded A c.-,e" is the title of the forthcoming sevel by Mark Twain and Mr. Warner, of Hartford, U.S.  The birthday of Dr. Liszt, on the 31st of Oct., will be celeleated at Pesth by a musical festival. e is at work on his fhirdorztorio. " Saint-Stanilaa."  Signor Verdi has loft Paris for Italy, and is now occupied with the composition of a ms, to be produeed in 3111;111 on the anniversary of the death of lkinnzoni.  The French If4n office hare 1.7 a. ate.' kayo of uhamme to 'IL Clermont Ganneas for one year, in ooler .h.tt Le may unde:take certain researches in J.:resslos, fok the Palestine Exploration Fund. M. tatly U. October.