BRUTAL ILLTREATMENT OF A WIFE AT OAMARU.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2303, 20 August 1881, Page 3

BRUTAL ILLTREATMENT OF A WIFE AT OAMARU.

The "Mail" oE Thursday last gives the following particulars concerning the case of tho woman Augustus, whose death was reported yesterday:—A dastardly case of illtreatment of a wife has been brought to light in Oamaru. The facts of the caße will be found detailed as fully as decency will permit in the subjoined statement made by tho unfortunate woman. Briefly stated tho facts are these :On tho 3rd insfc. the unfortunate woman, whose name is Isabella Augustus, the wife of a Swede named Charles Augustus, a laboring man living in tho Eden street gully, was confined. Five days afterwards tho brute ill-treated her for several days, refusing to permit her to call in a doctor or to allow her any assistance. Thk conduct, oouplod with threats upon her life, was continued until Tuesday last, when the Bad case of the unfortunate woman became known, and she was removed to the Hospital, and then found to bo in a critical condition. An information was at once laid against Augustus, and ho was arrested yesterday on a charge of assault. As serious doubts aro entertained of the probability of Mrs Augustus' recovery, it has been deemed advisable to take tho woman's evidence at once. This was done laßt evening, when Mr I. N. Watt, S.M, with Sergeant-Major Thompson, who prosecutes, and Mr O'Meagher, who defends the prisoner, attended at tho Hospital and took her deposition as follows:

Isabella Augustus I am tho wife of Charles Augustus, the accused. On the 3rd of this month, at Oamaru, I gave birth to a child. I was confined to my bed four days. On the fifth day, between eight and nine o'clock, I was washing my foot in my bedroom. My son Charles, aged ten years, was also in the room, and my husband came in and told the boy to go to his v /ed, and that he would sort my feet himself. [The next portion of the evidence as to what took place is unfit for publication. In consoquonca of tho husband's treatment to her she was confined to her bed until the following Sunday. I Witness continued—On that day I struggled to get tho broakfatt. My husband was then present, and I called him to breakfast. After he had got his breakfast I £Bk d him if he would allow mo to get one visit from the doctor. Ho said " No." I wbb oitting on a low stool by the fire, and he threw mo to the floor. Ho then gave me ; a kick and shoved me before him. When 11 saw his back turned, I opened the back door and ran out. He ran after me and J pulled mo back, and with his fists knockod ray teeth loose. He then took me up by tho potticoata and threw mo on to tho bed, and said, "Will you ask a doctor in now ?" I said, " Leave me alone." He eaid if ho know it would keep him from Lis work ho would not let a doctor come in nor anyone else, and that if ho found it out ho would tako a tomahawk and chop my brains into mincemeat, for he wanted to make away with me. That was all that day. When Monday came ho went away to his work, and I did not see him till after five o'clock in the ovenicg, and nothing occurred until next morning, when, before going to his work, as I was in my bed, he dragged mo out and put his nails into mo, and s?.id, " That is another finishing blow." Ho thon wont away, leaving me on tho floor. That night pretty late he said to mo, " Well, did you get a doctor to-day ?" I did not say ayo or no, ar.d through tho night, in the dark, he oamo two or thrco times and gave me a blow, saying ho was glad ha was getting rid of me. I same to tho hcßpifal on Tuesday at noon. I mado a mistake ; it was on Monday he asked me if I had had a doctor. On tho Sunday he tied my hair ts the heel oE the boy's boot, turned it round, and pUled it out. Since my baby was born he kopt tho door open and gavo mo no light. He would give me nothing warm, and ho would not riao out of his bed. I asked him to d these things, and ho always refused. Ho would not let the boy do little things for me. Siico my confinement I have had hslf a pint of sherry wine, some porter one day, and some whisky, but very little. Mrs Cartsr (tho nurse) gave mo tho wine and the whisky ; the porter I took myself. My husband gavo mo some money to get somo bread and meat. I did not spend any upon tho wine, or whisky. or porter. Augustus was brought before the Bench during the afternoon and remanded till Tuesday next.