CHARGE OF CRUELTY

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 126, 30 May 1919, Page 7

CHARGE OF CRUELTY

AGAINST A FOSTER MOTHER

CONTRADICTOBY EVIDENCE

A charge of having cruelly ill-treated her son was brought against Mrs. Ellen Purvis in the Magistrate's Court this morning. Mr. C. B. O'Donnell appeared for the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Acting Sub-Inspector Emerson appeared to presecnte. He called Sidney Wilson, of 40, King-street, next door to the defendant. Witness said he ■ knew defendant's son, who was about 13 years of age. Mrs. Purvis's husband was away at.the frout. One ,night witness had to get up at a quarter to 12 to remonstrate with defendant about her treatment of the boy. , She. said he was in it fit, and witness: said it was no wonder, as they had heard her going- on at Hie boy from 9.30. She was alsa using bad language. When his mother was hitting him on one occasion, the boy said that if sho did not leave off ho would have to call out to let the neighbours know. That was about a month ago, and witness told Mrs. Purvis that he would have to go to the police. Or. another occasion they heard her thrasu. ing the boy. "She generally started about half-past nine, just, as ws are going to bed." They could, he added, hear the boy crying out. Sometimes she: was "going on at Mm" until midnight., and her language was filthy. He. considered her conduct was due to drink. *' . To Mr. O'Donnell: Witness said the beatings happened about two or three times a week. During the past two months the child had been beaten about a dozen times, and on more than half those occasions, judging from the screams, he, considered the boy had been excessively beaten. He did not think the child could have deserved the punishment he got. The. boy was weak' and might be subject to fits. "I shouldn't wonder,'.' added the witness. The boy was not well dressed; he had to doi his own washing. On one occasion the woman was going at the boy for about three hours—he was being beaten., for about an hour and a-half of that time. HALF A SHIRT. Acting-Sub-Inspector Emerson : Yon say the boy is not well dressed. How is lio .dressed? . Witness: He gotabout in-his trousers and shirt—and half a shirt at that. Mrs. Wilson, wife of the previous witness, said that before her husband interfered on the night in question, she had several times knocked on' the wall; and had heard the boy say : "Oh, mamma, don't whip me any more. If you do I will have'to scream out." ' She could hear the thuds on the boys body, and the woman's language was vile. - On one night Mrs. Purvis told her that she waited until the.boy got into, bed-^-he was late coming home'—and she. had whipped him with her slipper She had frequently sepn Mrs. Purvis under the influence of liquor. From what she had seen and heard she did not think the thrashings the boy got were fair.' In answer to Mr. O'Donntell, witness said that no child could have deserved the language used or the punishment given. She judged the nature of the punishment from the sound. The child had been beaten for from a quarter to about half an hour, and his pleadings were, pitiful. While the child was being punished witness was in anguish.

Joseph Bfenry Burkett, residing next <ioor; but one to Mrs. Purvis, said that he had frequently seen the boy going for fish: and chips a-t half-past 10 at night, Wearing -only his trousers and shirt,: He had seen the child on.'the road about 11 o'clock at night crying, and the.boy had told him that hs had been locked. out. ■■■■„:.

Jlra.' Burkett said she had never heard the boy scream, and as far as she knew he was" well looked after.;. , :;,

Loiri3a Walpr, Society, .for; the Protection of. Women and Children, said ,£hat on 15th May sho visited',defendant's- house. Thare was pnly one bed in"the room, and it was in an indescribably filthy condition.- The boy was well dressed, and Mrs. Purvis wag partly-under the influence of liquor. ■ ' ,

'•FILTHY AND UNTIDY."

,■ Sergeant Butler said that on the evening of 15th May ho visited the premises, and heard someone saying,, "Haven't you had your tea?" He and a constable spoke to the woman through the window/ She was half drunk, and when they entered they found the place-in a filthy and most untidy condition. She said the boy1 shared her. bed with her. When served with the summons she said the boy was not hers, and that she had .had him ever since he was two years, of age. She .stripped the boy for their examination. There were no marks on him, but he was very thin. She ripped off his clothes in a mad, violent rage. The woman's bed was in a disgusting condition.

Con.stab.le Cunningham said: he had known the woman for years. She was addicted to drink. ,

"PERFECTLY LIES."

The boy, Reuben Purvis, said1, in answer to Mr. O'Donneli, that bo had been beaten for what he deserved, but what had' beaa said about his beatings was "perfectly lies," He was fond of ids mother, and was well looked after. If his mother touched him lie would scream to prevent his getting a hiding. He was in the habit of going- about barefooted. He was a member of the. Boys' Institute, and plavedl cricket and football. ' ■ " . Mr. o'Donn.el: Arc you happy? Witness: N.p boy could' be happier than I am. Examined by the Magistrate, the boy said he was not happy at the Receiving Home. His mother did not tell him to say that, To his knowledge his mother was never drunk. He never told Mr. ] 'Burkett that he had been locked out. He had had several fits. ACCUSED'S EVIDENCE. Mrs. Purvis said she was a dress.-naker. The boy had *boeit left with her as a baby, and she took him because she had lost r two of. iier own children. She had looked after him and was quite capable of looking after him. She had beaten him on the legs for disobedience, but not since January. He screamed when nunished, and was subject to fits. 'On the night referred to by the witness Wilson, the boy liad hurt himself at the institute, aDcl was screaming in a fit. To Acting-Sub-Inspector. Emerson she said she was living apart from her husband. She sometimes went out cleaning and dressmaking, but not lately. Her boarder paid her 35s a-week, and she paid 16b a- week rent. Allen Edward Coates, a night 'poiter; said he slept at Mrs. Purvis's during the day. He had never heard the child screaming. It was well treated, but it was subject to fits. He had never seen Mrs. Purvis, under the influence of drink, nor had he heard her using bad lang.Mge. He paid 56s a week for his board and lodging. The boy seemed contented, and had made no complaints to him. To Acting-Sub-Inspector Emersou, witness said fie worked from 10 p.m. to 8, a.m.. and generally got up about 6 p,m. He had taken beer home and shared it with Mrs. Purvis. CHARGE DISMISSED. His Worship said he was quite satisfied the woman, was drunken, and h«sr house was filthy. ;It was no place for a boy to etay in, nor was the defendant a, , woDer person to have chane of him.

Ho thought she had been beating tbet boy too much in her drunken fits, but h» would not enter a conviction in view of certain , contradictions in the f.vidence. The boy was delicate .and backward, snd he would, be committed to tke : ftoc«iving Home. The charge against Mi's, I'wvif would be dismissed. '