A WIFE-BEATER IN TROUBLE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2359, 8 October 1880, Page 2

A WIFE-BEATER IN TROUBLE.

On Tuesday at Ashburton an inquest was held on the body of Catherine Sullivan, wife of Patrick Sullivan, a laborer, who died on the previous day. Matthew Morshead, farm manager, said—l remember Saturday, September 11th. I saw Sullivan kick his wife in the bowels that day. She got up and went to a cottage. She was stooping down, nearly double, and seemed in great pain. He kicked her in the stomach and the left side, and she said “He has nearly killed me.’* Sullivan’s boots were of great size—hobnailed—and I believe with iron toe plates. I went to the police about it. I remained with deceased half-an-hour. She seemed very faint during that time. Mrs Sullivan seemed a very small and delicate woman. Deceased said if she did not feel any better in the evening, she would go for a doctor. I never saw her after that. The blows were very serious and knocked deceased down.

By a juror—Deceased seemed much excited when I first saw her, but not afterwards. Dr Stewart said—l think the immediate cause of death was from faintness, caused by the failure of the heart’s action, brought on by the generally diseased state of the system. I have no reason to suppose that death was accelerated or caused by the assault by her husband 1 have heard described. Such an assault might have killed deceased at the time, but I do not think death resulted from it.

Mr Slimy asked if Dr Stewart would have given a certificate for burial, after holding the post mortem examination, that death resulted from natural causes. Dr Stewart—“ Yes.”

Mr Shury to the Coroner —“ Do you not think if the post mortem had been held sooner, and you yourself had heard the medical evidence, that the holding of the inquest would have become unnecessary?” The Coroner —“ That is a point for me to decide. I considered it necessary to hold the inquest, and should always do so under like circumstances.” This concluded the evidence.

The Coroner said that luckily the verdict rested on the medical evidence. There had been evidence of a brutal assault, but fortunately for Sullivan it had been shown not to have had a fatal effect. There had been a point raised as to the necessity of holding the inquest but he considered it was absolutely necessary, and hoped no woman would ever be buried under similar circumstances Avithout a full enquiry having been made. Not only Avas it necessary in this case for the sake of deceased,

but also for her husband who would otherwise have probabty laid under the imputation—judging from the evidence given—of having murdered his wife. The jury then retired to consider their verdict, aud after a short absence returned a verdict of “ Death from Natural Causes.” They added a rider—- “ That the Coroner strongly reprimand Sullivan for his brutal treatment to his wife as disclosed by the evidence. ’ The Coroner then strongly reprimanded Sullivan as requested by the jury and the inquest ended. “Ashburton Mail.”