SERVED HIM RIGHT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2432, 4 January 1881, Page 3

SERVED HIM RIGHT.

At the Criminal sessions of the Supreme Court,Christchurch, yesterday, a couple of Akaroa ladies named Charlotte Wright and Charlotte Scarborough ■were charged with having on the Atth November, at Akaroa, assaulted one William Henry Eossiter. The case for the prosecution was that the prosecutor had gone on an errand of love to Mrs Scarborough, and met the prisoner Wright at her house, where Mrs Scarborough was on the arrival of the lover. Mrs Wright received him with a dipper toll of hot water, which, like Mr Tubbs in Pink Dominos/’ was not what he looked toiward to. Mrs Scarborough, too, ]pmed in the fray, and aided by procuring a dipper full of water to throw over her admirer. , . . „ , W. H. Eossiter, working jeweller, deposed to receiving a message from Mrs Scarborough, asking him to come and see her. He went accordingly, and on going to the house he saw Mrs Wright at the bottom of the garden hanging out some clothes. Mrs Scarborough was there also, and the latter asked mm what lie wanted there. Witness replied that he had been sent for, and Mrs Scarborough then asked him inside the house. As they were walking towards the house, Mrs Wright proposed they •should go into the washhouse, and they ■did so. When they got in there Mrs Wright asked him what he wanted with her aunt, Mrs Scar-

borough. Witness replied, that was his business. Mrs Wright then asked what he knew about Mrs Scarborough and he replied that Mrs Scarborough and himself understood each other. Mrs Wright turned round and then threw a bowl of water out of the copper over the witness. There was a fire under the copper, but be could not say bow Mrs Wright got the water and threw it over him. The water was very warm, and scalded him somewhat. He cried out that lie was scalded, and Mrs Wright dipped up another bowl and chased him out of the garden, throwing the water after him. The two prisoners stood in the gate after he had got into the road, with his straw hat, and asked him to come for it, but he said, “ No you don’t/' To Mr Joynt—The force of the water knocked my hat off at the first blow. The water came—mostof it—on my forehead. The hat caught some of it. It took the skin oii my face right across my forehead. I have known Mrs Scarborough all nine years, not personally. I have been acquainted with her about five or six months. I managed to improve the acquaintance very considerably. Mrs Scarborough is a widow and I have heard she is of good means. I should say it was a good game to “stick up to her.” .1 did “stick up to her’’and proposed to her. She refused me the next day. I hare threatened to take proceedings for a breach of promise of marriage. I don’t think I ever made myself very troublesome. I was always on business. There was a linger ring I had to put a stone in. I locked myself in her bedroom on one occasion, just before Nov. 24. I don’t remember Mrs Thomas insisting on my going out through the door. I told her that I had a right to he there,and that she could go. I may have said “I will see yon ami Mrs Thomas d d first, and then I will not go.” Constable Scott did come and turn me out. Mrs Wright went for him. I had been in her bedroom for three days and two nights. Mrs Wright did not say “ How long arc you going to come here persecuting and annoying my aunt ?” 1 did not say “ I shall come here just as often as I d d well please.”

Medical evidence was called to show that Eossiter’s face was improved in color and slightly blistered by the scald. His Honor said it was a wretched case to send to that Court, and the Magistrate could not have known his duty in sending it there, and that although it was a trumpery case he could not withdraw it from the jury. Counsel for the defence pleaded that the scalding became necessary as there was no horse-pond in Akaroa. The jury returned a verdict of “ guilty ” with a strong recommendation to mercy.

Bis Honor said that the prosecutor was a mean fellow, but the prrisoners should not have taken the law into their own hands. The jury could not have found any other verdict, in law, than the one they had, hut it was not a case for jmnishment.

His Honor then asked Eossitor to stand forward, and addressing him, said that he was a most despicable character, one who had unquestionably lied in the witness-box, and he (the Judge) should order that his expenses should be disallowed. His Honor then sentenced the prisoners to one day’s imprisonment without hard labor, which would allow of their going homo at the close of the day remarking that the law must be vindicated, but that the case never ought to have been sent up to that Court.

The sentence was received with some slight manifestations of applause, which were immediately suppressed.