THE WOMAN IN THE IRON MASK.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 669, 3 May 1870, Page 4

THE WOMAN IN THE IRON MASK.

A singular case has just been brought under the notice of the police magistrate of St. Heliers, Jersey. John le Roy, watchmaker, about sixty years of age, was charged with having fixed his wife's head in a species of iron mask or cage on Saturday. The mask was produced in conrt. Its base consisted of a piece of rod-iron, about a quarter of an inch thick, formed into a ring about eight or nine inches in diameter. The top was a similar ring, about six inches in width. These two rings were connected by means of seven vertical bars of strong hoop-iron a couple of inches apart. The first opened with a hinge in the front, was fastened at the back by means of a padlock, and weighed three pounds. In the front part, immediately opposite the mouth, a piece of iron hoop had been placed horizontally, to prevent the wearer from getting anything up to her mouth, though this, it appears, was ineffectual, as from the mask being rather too large she had managed, during the short time she had it on, to turn it round on her head, and drink a small glass of liquor. It appeared from the evidence of the wife that her husband forced the mask on her head for the first time on Saturday, when she was in a kneeling posture. She was seen in it by some of the neighbors, who went to the police and gave the information, and by their orders the prisoner removed the mask. It seems that he had made no secret of the affair, having told some of the neighbors what he intended doing, and had even asked one of the witnesses to allow him to use her head as a model ! It also came out in evidence that the prisoner had made a large box into a species «f cage with iron bars, into which he was in the habit of placing his wife occasionally. One of the witnesses, in describing the box, said the wife had plenty of room in it, and received no injury, " though it wasn't the place for a woman to be in." The prisoner, who treated the affair with the greatest nonchalance, said he was not aware that by doing as he had he was acting contrary to the law. His wife was so addicted to drunkenness that he did not know what to do with her. He had locked her up in the house, and she had escaped by the windows in order to get drink. He had placed her five times in the General Hospital (the workhouse), but all was of no use; she was incorrigible. His only desire was to put a stop to her drinking. The wife (who had a halfbesotted appearance) admitted the truth of what her husband said ; but added that "it was her only fault." The magistrate advised the man to make his wife an allowance of 5s per week, and get a separation, Both of them agreed to this; and the prisoner was fined 10s for the assault, which he cheerfully paid. The mask was confiscated by order of the magistrate.