The Warwickshire Herald. — 1887-07-21 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

DOMESTIC I YFICULTIES.  Thomas Baker, butcher, Sparkhill, was charged with having, on the 14th and I:ith inst. respectively, assaulted his wife, Eliza Batter.--Mr. Benbow Hebbert appeared for the prosecattrix, and Mr. Peet appeared for the defendant.—Mr. Hebbert, in opening the case, said that there were two charges against the defendant, one charged him with a common assault on the 14th inst, and the other with unlawfully wounding on the rith. He wished, however, as he was in a position to do, to reduce the latter charge to one of aggravated assault; and by so doing the Bench would be enabled to grant a separation order. The prosecutrii stated that on Thursday evening her husband came home and brought several friends to supper. After the meal he and his guests left the house and went to the "Cherry Arbour." Some time after he was brought home: lie was tipsy and covered with blood, the result of wounds which he had received in an affray. He asked her who had been assaulting him, and upon her telling him that she did not know he ordered her to go to bed. She went npstair' s and after she was in bed he went upstairs and pulled all the clothes off her, saying she should" not haven thing." She dressed herself and went downstairs, whither he followed and kicked her, and eventually turned her out af, the house, after threatento kill her if she came inside the place again. She waited about the house until :I a.m.. and then went in search of a police olicer. Having found P.C. White she returned to the house, and in the presence of the oqicer demanded admission, but her husband refused to let her in. He said he " had already done three months through her, and he did not care if he hung for her. After having been in the street the whole of the night, she was about 7 o'clock allowed to enter the house. On the following day (Friday) she applied for a summons, and after giving it to P.C. White for service she went home. In a short time her husband, who had received the summons, came home. He said he would "sell the place up," and immediately afterwards he _commenced to smash up the ftuniture. He . . . . .  picked up a butcher's knite' and flothished it in front of her in a menacing manner, at the same thne saying he would "settle her." In brandishing the knife about he struck her on the right hand and the left temple, and inflicted slight wounds. A policeman was then sent for, and the defendant was given into custody. In answer to a question asked by Mr. Kimbell, witness said that in consequence of the defendant's treatment she attempted to commit suicide on Friday week. She was, however, prevented from jumping into the canal by her husband and another man. She further stated that she had three children, aged respectively 2,4, and 6.—Cross-examined by Mr. l'eet : She had been married to the defendant seven years. She really was afraid of him, and was desirous of being separated from him.—Annie Craddock, domestic servant to the prosecutrix and defendant, gave corroborative testimony ; she was in the house each day during the disturbances.— P.C. White deposed to seeing the prosecntrix in the street on the morning of the 15th, and also to serving a summons upon and subsequently arresting defendant during the afternoon of the same day.--Mr. Peet, on behalf of the defendant, said it was advisable that a judicial order of separation should be granted.— For the first assault the Bench tined the defendant 10s. and costs ; and 20s. and costs for the second : they Aso granted a judicial order of separation, the defendant. to pay per week towards the maintenance of his wife.  \ T.  Thomas Marshall, labourer, of Hatton, was charged with embezzling, between June ISth and July 2nd, the sum of two tiounds, the moneys of his employer, Edward James I tevis, far ner and dairyman, Yardley Wood. The prisoner was employed to take the milk to Birmingham to various retail shops, and he was also empowered to collect accounts. lie was paid various sums of money, and htiled to account for theta. --He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to sik weeks' imnrisonment with hard In