Alleged Cruelty to a Woman.

Manawatu Herald, 26 August 1893, Page 3

Alleged Cruelty to a Woman.

A police case of much importance commenced at the Pokekohe Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday afternoon, the action being one of general interest as the first case taken up in Auckland by the recently formed society for the protection of women and children. Before Messrs Russell and Litimer, J's.P., Dr James Dalziel, a wellknown resident of Pukehoho, and a woman named Mara Dalziel, otherwise Mara Gracie, were jointly charged, on an information laid by Constable McGovern, with ' that they did on the 16th August unlawfully beat and assault a girl named Anna Jane Dalziel, aged twenty-four years, by lying her to a post, beating her with a cat o' nine tails, striking her therewith on the back, hips, etc., also by striking her on the face and head with the hand.' The action was taken by the police on infovma - tion given by the prosecutrix After the information had been laid, Inspector Hickson laid the case before the Auckland branch of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, with the result that the society decided to tender the police legal assistance for the prosecution. Accordingly Messrs P. E. Baume and W. Thorne, honorary solicitors to the society, appeared for the prosecution. Messrs Hudson, Williamson and G. N. Brassey appeared for the defence. The defendants pleaded not guilty. Mr Baume addressed the Court for the prosecution, and gave detailed particulars of the alleged assault on the-gkl. Mr Baume stated that, for some time past, the two defendants had subjected the prosecutrix to cruelty. On the occasion in question the girl vim sent to clean an entire horn, She m* foeateft Rht^wwila

j so as to leave marks on every part of ' her bcdy. The girl had come out to Auckland from England t : ,vo ov three years ago. The girl was iI.M present, but there was room to believe that she had been coerced, and kept away from the Court. Mr Baume called for the prosecufcrix, Anna Oalziei, but there was no ! appearance of the witness. Mr Baurfie said the defence had endeavoured to obtain a written statement from the girl before a magistrate. Mr Hudson Williamson said Anna Dalziei did not intend to appear in Court against her father. The girl had told him her first complaint to the police had been hasty. Constable McOovern deposed that when he saw the girl on the day after the assault her face was much cut and disfigured. The girl told witness her back and stomach were sore after the beating, and she could hardly walk. She stated her father and Mrs Dalziei whipped her severely with a tawse. Dalziei tokl him that Mrs Dalziel beat the girl. Mrs Dalziei brought him a cat o 1 nine tails. The girl's own reason for absenting herself was to wait until her injuries were healed. The girl also said that a few days previous to this beating she had got 500 lashes with another tawse. Despite strong opposition by the defence, the Bench granted a warrant for the arrest of the girl Anna, in order to obtain her evidence ; and the case was odjonrned till next Wednesday.