WIFE BEATING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 324, 13 November 1875, Page 2

WIFE BEATING.

/(From the Napier Telegraph J Robert Magill was charged, on the inforumtion of Harry Oakley Caulton, witli unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily hann upon his wife, Mary Magill. I Dr. Spencer, who was examined, said— I am now attending Mary Magill for internal inflammation ; I was called in first on the' twenty-second of October last; the inflammation might have been caused by external injury or cold ; she is still dangerously ill. I do not consider her out of danger, nor fit to come and give her evidence, but she is fit to have it taken at her house ; she has had one or fwo sudden changes, and might have another any time. The disease she was suffering from was abdominal. She had two internal abeesses formed aud broken, and if another broke in a certain manner it would kill her in an hour or two. Mr. Lee (who appeared for the informant), applied to have Mrs. Magill’s evidence taken at her house.

The Court acceded to the request, and the following depositions of Mrs. Magill were taken at the Masonic Hotel:— Mary Magill, on oath, said : I am the wife of Robert Magill. I remember three weeks to-morrow, I came up to my sister’s place here early in the morning, and stayed until twelve o’clock. I took some dinner home for myself and my ; husband from here. We had been on rather bad terms the day before. He had some dinner —then there had been a disagreement. It was about some needlework I was ; going to do for my sister. He objected to my doing it. I had been looking for work for a long time before, to which he had not objected. He said Chat I should not go. I said that I should. We had an angry argument. I said it would be better doing it for my sister than anyone else. By doing work, I liiean doing needlework for payment. When we had the argument he was lying on thp sofa and I was in the bedroom—another room. I was then come away. I was doing my hair. •thing was said about the sewing He said why could I not do the work with the machine ? I said that he had twisted some part of it down so that it would not work. He then became very angry. He beat me with a riding whip, not with the handle, but with the other end. It was the end to which the thong is fastened. I had a severe blow on the shoulders and on the legs. I told him that he was a cold-blooded wretch ; that I could not hurt anyone if I was not in a temper. He then knocked me on the floor, and put his knee on my stomach, and bumped my head on the floor. It was with both knees he was kneeling on my side. He kept me there for a little while, and then let me up, and I went into the other room. He kept his knees on me until I was not well able to breathe. When he was kneeling on me I said “ let me up; do not murder me.” I also scratched his hands to try and lot me up. I did not make very much uoise, but they must have heard me in the other part of the house, as there is only a thiu partition. When he had me down I said, “ Oh, Mrs. Johnson.” When I got up I sat on the sofa for a little time. He was lying on the bed. I had marks all over me. Mrs. Cauiton and Miss Hare saw some of them the same day. Very soon after Mr. Rymer’s trap came down, and I got in aud came down to my sister’s. ? Before this happened I had been very well ’ for some weeks. I felt myself very much hurt inside, but I did not think I was going to be so ill when I first came up

■ here. I have had pains where he knelt on me ever since, and believe the illness I now have was caused by. the injuries I received when he knelt on me. I went home again the same' evening. 1 came up in Eymer’s trap and remained a week, when my sister took me away. I was lying on the sofa from Tuesday night untif Wednesday night. I then went into bed. I was very bad all night. On Thursday morning I asked him to go and get me something. I have been confined to my be4<eV*‘® nce tha* happened. Cross-examined by Mr. Lascelles: When he had me down I tried to get hold of his whiskers ; I had one hand on his Whiskers. I did not lay my hand on him until he had me down. I did not call him a loafer. He accused me of using foul language to him, which I did not do. I did not- attempt to struggle with him L until he knocked me down. He was *■ jumping on me with Lis knees when down. (Signed), Mart Magill. W. I. Spencer, recalled, deposed: I have heard the evidence of Mary Magill, and the treatment wliich she has narrated that she has received is sufficient cause to account for the illness which she Las been suffering from. . ' The accused, who reserved his defence, was fully committed for trial at the next criminal sittings of the Supreme Court. Mr. Lee said if any application for bail were made, he desired that notice might be given to him, as he should most likely have to oppose the application. The Resident Magistrate said in the present state of the case he did not think he should be justified in accepting bail.