A FAMILY FIGHT.

NZ Truth, Issue 110, 27 July 1907, Page 5

A FAMILY FIGHT.

A CASE OF VIOLENT LEG-PULLING, fhe Miseries of the Morraghans. A PAIR OF LOVELY BLACK EYES.

There was a recrudescence of the Morraghan domestic trouble at the Christchurch Magistrate's Court lately. The Court is getting sick of the litigation between these parties, and bas signified the same m the usual manner. Mrs Mary Morraghan is 73 and voluble. She also likes her son, Daniel Morraghan-like poison. Tliey live m the same house at • Upper Riccarton, and Daniel's wife ana children naturally live there too. The son paid ofl what was owing on the property years ago, took it over, and made large additions and improvements, allowing his cantankerous mother to live there for the rest of her life. But they could never hit it latterly, and the old girl a while back

(Rang tikei). When Remington romped m for Rangitikei Rejoicing ran., r ot around, And restless romancers like Hone Heke Their joy m exuberance drowned. For Remington be worships the Main Trunk Line, And backs it with eloquent lip, He ordered ths tucker, and likewise the wine, For the late political trip. It was a rorty rail run, With quip joke and tale spun. That Parliamentary trip.

started civil proceedings, and then served her son for maintenance. She was given four bob a week, and still continued to live m the same house, doing her own cooking, etc. Another son was giving her three bob a week, and she got the old aire pension besides ; consequently, with a home, she was all right. But a cat and dog life was lived m that home, and if the son happened to be away, and was m arrears, she promptly went for him m Court. Also, there have been summonses for alleged assault, and sureties asked for with great regularity. On the "present occasion

SHE SUED HIM FOR ASSAULT, and wanted sureties some more. Mr Greeson, who appeared for her, told the Court that this particular assault was a most cowardly and brutal one. It took place at their common home. The last time complainant took proceedings, the case was dismissed, but tbe circumstances m the present one were very different. The woman, according to her statement, was m the kitchen, and some squabble arose between her son and herself. He at once proceeded to use bad language, and spat m her face. The mother naturally retaliated by throwing water over him. He thereupon got her by the throat, blackened both her eyes, knocked her on the floor, threatened to do for her, and said he would teach her to go to Court and ask for sureties of the peace. Mrs Morraghan then sought assistance next door, at the house of Mrs Bligh. Afterwards sbe had to stay m bed for a couple of days, owing to her eyes being bunged up ; and .later she came to town and saw a doctor.

The complainant bore out her counsel's statement. Tbe trouble arose over some firing m the stove. She bought, and paid for her own coal, and all parties used the one kitchen. After ber son had spat m her face, she got wild and said, "Remember, I am your mother." Then she threw some water over him. With that he knocked her down and bruised her all over, kicking her while she was lying on . the fioor. Then be pulled her out of doors by the feet. She went next door, and asked someone to go for the police, but they didn't want to be mixed up m the matter.

Mr Donnelly, who appeared for the defendant, asked the witness why she stayed m the houso when she had an income of seventeen and six a week ? She had been told on the last occasion that sbe . ought to leave it..

Witness : I will not leave the house ; I consider I have a right there.

It is a regular institution with you to bring this young man before the Court ?— Never unless he deserves it.

Didn't you call his wife A DIRTY PROSTITUTE on this occasion ?— No.

Didn't you say that when he was 1 away she brought men there for the purpose of prostitution"?— l didn't.

Don't you seek to provoke him m every way you can so that you may bring him before the Court"?— Not unless they .speak to me first.

Mrs Lizzie Bligh was the next witness called by Mr Gresson. The lady didn't seem to comprehend things at first : m fact, sbe didn't ?-ecm m her usual health. However, r:he said that she was tlie wife of James Bligh, and lived at Upper Riccarton. On tbe cession m ques. tion, Mrs Morrn^h^n can.c to her place bleeding at the mouth- and the nostrils*, and sbe washed- her and

subsequently cscorte'd her to her, home again. Mr Donnelly : You say that you are the wife of somebody ?— Yes. Are you quite sure ?— Yes, positive.

Now, isn't ifc a fact that Morraghan has often chased you off his premises and forbade you comine: there ?

Witness (indignantly, and with nose m air) : Did you say that, Dan Morraghan ? The lady gazed" at defendant disdainfully, and was told to stand down. Orderly Scully opened the side door, and she swept cut. Dr. Moorhouse detailed complainant's injuries. She had both eyes blackened. There were bruises on the cheek, neck, both legs aud arms. These would liave been caused by such treatment as sbe said she- had received.

For the defence, Mr Donnelly said Mrs Morraghan was everlastingly irritating her son and his wife ; human nature was human^nature, and he couldn't stand it. H,Qi shouldn't be fined for assault nor bei asked to find sureties. The woman had or this occasion started a row about some coal, and not only turned upon him, but also his wife, whom she termed a prostitute. When defendant wanted to get her out of the place, she lay down on the fioor and he pulled her out by the legs. It was a very improper thing to do to an old woman, but what could a person do with such an obstinate old person of this sort ? She should iive. elsewhere. If her 17s Gd a week was not enough, let her apply to the Court for an increase, 'if Mrs Morraghan had any claim m connection with the house, there was a proper tribunal to appeal to and bave it settled. The defendant -was a struggling, hard-working young man ; had done more, for his mother than anyone elsq; andi this was what he got for it. The defendant, m the course of his evidence, denied HAVING SPAT IN HIS MOTHER'S FACE, or kicked her. Had she not alluded to his wife m thc manner she did, he would not have put ber out. He could stand anything she might say against himself, but be couldn't bear to hear his wife traduced the way she had been. The woman was drunk at the time. In response to questions by Mr G-resson, the defendant* said he couldn't account for the marks on the woman's throat, because he hadn't caught her by the' throat. How about her two black eyes, then ?— Well, 7 she must bave got them going over the step. Did you pull her out face downwards then ?— Yes. How ?— I got hold of her by thc legs. "*Vj Ih answer to further questions, the ™ witness said his mother was, addicted to drink, and frequently went next door to Mrs Bligh's, presumably to drink. The defendant's wife told tbe Court the hot time her mother-in-law always gave* them.. She had impugned witness's chastity, and said that when her husband was away, that men drove up' m- cabs to her house. That was utterly false. Tbe woman was always making insulting remarks towards her of an equally scandalous nature. Since the present, occurrence, she had told witness that she would wipe the fioor with her ; ' also, that she would tear the flesh off her husband's bones. jThe woman was under the influence

Of Burke, Fox, Pitt, ahd Sheridan great, Our history books doth full relate Their burning eloquence : Of speeches great on affairs ot State They furnish evidence Of Hardy C. M.Lj.R., lis. "Hansard"' will strangely s.iehi be, For h3 is mute intense. His "hear, hear,'' and faint-hearted cheer Are wretched recompense.

of liquor at- thc time. She frequently was that way. Magistrate Day thought be would bind both parties to keep the peace, the mother m a tenner, and the son m double that amount. Tlie latter ,is taking steps to evict iho old lady under thc Police Offences Act.

&\ L. D- Eraser has managed for some yeara to represent the semiTory and careless Liberal int-rests of Napier simply by dodging i-_.---tremes." In Napier Magistrate's Court) t'o:h?r day it was shown that. 1,-; persons were living m a ' four-roonv.-.! ijiou.se. lias Fraser- ibe courage Im | tackle this -cflK-Stio-n. or i*_ H*.e Ui-.1---lor-d of tins tenement, on? nf h;-. y.vporters ? Also. v. hst i** th-.* mia':: army 0f.., ■ •iusprctors r> d-T'erent, brands doin v m Nap-e" th.-t x7i"s matter is not investigated ?