A LADY HORSEWHIPPING HER GOVERNESS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2999, 4 February 1881, Page 4

A LADY HORSEWHIPPING HER GOVERNESS.

At a special sitting of the Divisional Magistrates at Bedford, an extraordinary charge was heard, when Mrs Annie Karslake, of ' urvey Cottage, wife of Mr Edward Kent Karslake, Q.C., was summoned for unlawfully assaulting Miss Rosa Pai'lby, governess, on November C. Mr Clare prosecuted, and Mr Mitchell appeared for the defence. The facts of the case transpired in Mr Clare's opening statement, but before the charge camo on the complainant went into hysterics, and was obliged to be taken out of the Court. Having somewhat recoverd, Mr Clare said it was a most painful caso, and the complainant had suffered severely from the effects of tho assault. Miss I'arlby was a highly-educated young lady, and in August last answered an advertisement in one of tho London morning papers for an Italian lady to come to Turvey Cottage as companion to Miss Karslake, and to teach her Italian French, German, music, and singing. In consequence of that advertisement she went to Turvey Cottage and entered into an engagement for six months —which time would not expire until February next. The fact of the assault, he believed would not be disputed. For some time Miss Parlby had been in great bodily fear of her mistress, and on the previous Saturday, about midday, she was proceeding to her room. In order to get there she had to proceed along a passage, in which was a door leading from a dressing room. As she was going along the passage, much to her astonishment, Mrs Karslake, the defendant, ran out of the dressing-room with a whip in her hand, with which she struck Miss Palby across the neck. She also seized her, pushed her up against a cheffonier, and held her thore, the complainant being much injured in consequence, and was still suffering severely. Sbe screamed for assistance, and Miss Karslat.e came to her rescue, and together they succeeded in holding Mrs Karslake for a few minutes until they thought she was quiet. However, as soon as they let go, Miss Palby endeavoured to get into her own room, which was close at hand, when the defendant ran after her and kicked her three sucoessive times with muob violence. The complainant was so much injured by this treatment that she could get no sleep for two nights, and she bad been obliged to come there that day to seek protection of the law. Mr Mitchell, for the defence, said that the case was a very painful one, but seeing from the letters that had been wri'ten, and from the amount of feeling in the locality, he had decided to plead guilty and admit the facts. He had practised in that court for some years, but he had never hal such a cruel, such a painful case to conduct before. He had, however, got his tongue tied, and did not choose to say why. What fine the Bench chose to impose would bo paid. The Magistrates, after conferring together for a considerable time, agreed to bind over the defendant in her husband's recognisances of £100 to keep the peace for twelve months. The caso has excited a great deal of interest in the neighborhood, the defendants occupying a high position, and it is considered strange that the case should have eorne on at a special session. No persons were in the court except the parties engaged and two representatives of the press, who, directly the case was over, were ordered to leave tho court.— London paper.