EXTRAORDINARY SENTENCE FOR ASSAULT.

Evening Star, Issue 3422, 9 February 1874, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY SENTENCE FOR ASSAULT.

(From the Sydney Empire, January 19.) Mr J. D. Little, the well-known racehorse owner, was summoned before the Mudgee Bench last week, charged with assaulting his servant, Elizabeth Turner, on the 7th instant. The evidence pro a nd con was as follows: 11 The assault took place on Wednesday last, about 10 o’clock at night. Mr Little, the defendant, first assaulted me in the house, and then pushed me into the street. I wanted to leave his place, and went to him and offered to pay 30s he had advanced as part of my fare from Sydney if he would pay me for the few days that I had worked. He called me some most offensive names, caught me by the shoulder, and pushed me outside the house. He told me to go off the premises, and refused to pay me for the days 1 had worked. I was outside the gate and on the street when he pushed me into the gutter. I had only slippers on at the time, and had no shawl, bonnet, or boots. He pushed me about three times, pinched my arm, tore my dress, and made m/ arm black and blue. I fell down with one of the pushes he gave me. I gave him no provocation for this assault. He said for two pins he would put me on the fire when he was calling me offensive names, ’ Under cross-exami-nation, plaintiff admitted that she did at the time referred to say, “ If Mrs Little says I am going to leave because I want-to be married, she is a liar. I did not call her a liar. This was after Mr Little had pushed me out of the house. I gave him no provocation.” A man named Adam Doolan swore that he saw “ Mrs Little catch complainant by the shoulders and push her three times. She fell on her knees once. This was outside the house, on the footpath. I heard defendant call complainant tbe offensive names used in the information. I did hear complainant say something about Mrs Little being a liar. Complainant had no boots, bonnet, or shav* 1 on when she was turned out. I did not hear her say anything to Mr Little, except, ‘Thank you, sir,’ w hen he pushed her.” For the defence, Mary Saddington swore that she did not hear the offensive words used by Mr or Mrs Little. Defendant only pushed the girl gently outside the parlor-door, and told her to go away. Mary Saddington’s evidence to this effect was corroI borated by that of a boy named New-

ton, in Mr Little’s employ. The Bench found that an aggravated assault had been committed, and sentenced Mr Little to two months’ imprisonment in Muclgee Gaol. Mr Davidson, who appeared for the defence, was thunderstruck at this sentence, and expressed himself so ; and, after a warm debate, the magistrates reconsidered their verdict and fined defendant L2O, besides making him enter into recognizances to the amount of L2OO to keep the peace for six months.