MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1563, 21 February 1879, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Friday, February 21, [Before G. L. Mellish, Esq., R.M.] Vagrancy.—George Hartnell and Margaret Maloney, alias Griffiths, alias Hartnell, were charged with vagrancy, and James Connor and Ellen Talbot with having no lawful visible means of support. They were all occupying the same house. Mary Anne Oppenheim, residing in St. Asaph street, being sworn, deposed she was the owner of a cottage near the Star Brewery, which she had let to George Hartnell. She had let it under the impression that he was respectable, but since then parties had sent to her complaining about the goings on in the house. Mary Anno Burmeister living next door to the cottage in question, said that the previous night between eleven and twelve o’clock she heard a disturbance going on, accompanied with obscene language. William Cassidy, a laborer, living next door but one to the accused, said he had heard a woman’s screams proceeding from the cottage inhabited by the defendants. The constable who arrested the defendants stated that when ho went to the house a most disgraceful scene was going on. The women, were partly stripped and fighting, and the man Connor was holding a candle for them. The other roan George Hartnill was not in the house st the time. The man Hartnell was discharged; Connor was sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment; and the two women sent to gaol for six months each. Assault. —William Bartlett was summoned for assaulting his wife Louisa Bartlett on February 13th. He was further charged with using abusive and threat ening language toward# Ellon Austin on the same day. There was no appearance of the defendant, and a warrant was ordered to be issued for his apprehension. Indecent Exposure.—Samuel Pederson was charged with indecently exposing his person. Mr Nock appeared for the accused. The railway constable Kelly, and Mr Richmond, proprietor of the Terminus Hotel, proved the commission of the offence, which was not a very aggravated one, and a fine of 40s was inflicted, The prosecutrix, the wife of the defendant, said that on the 6th instant her hu»band violently assaulted and beat her at the Black Horse Hotel, followed up by threats of further ill usage. He had made use of similar threats before. On this occasion he said he would not go to bed until he had cut her throat. Wife Beating.—Jane Mahoney applied for protection against her husband, Francis Mahoney, fer herself and her earnings on the ground of his habitual drunkenness and gross cruelty. Mr Neck appeared for the defendant. The prosecutrix was examined at length by Mr Neck, for the purpose of showing that she had made away with £l4O worth of property, the stock-in-trade of her husband, who followed the calling of a hawker. She admitted pawning three watches and selling a piece of calico for her maintenance, and said the remainder of the missing stock belonging to the defendant was in her possession at the Junction Hotel. The defendant was sworn in his own defence, and told an opposite story for the purpose of showing'he was the injured party. His Worship said it was evident that the parties could not live amicably together, and the best plan would be for the defendant to make an allowance and separate. The defendant said he was willing to give his wife 10s a week, which she agreed to accept, and his Worship dismissed the case on that understanding, the order for protection being understood to be granted.