A DUNEDIN MONSTER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2486, 9 March 1881, Page 2

A DUNEDIN MONSTER.

At the Dunedin Police Court, on Monday, Patrick Bussell, was charged uuder arrest, with having, at South Dunedin, on March 4 and 5, assaulted Catherine Bussell, aged nine years. Catherine Russell deposed— Ou Friday evening last I was beaten by my father,who is now in the bos. He beat me on the face with a stick. I was in the school-house sitting down. My father came and knocked at the door. He asked a boy for me, and I went to him. He caught me by the hair of the head, and hit me with his stick on the face. This scar on my cheek was made by the stick. He then took me home. It was at night. When I got home my father beat me again. I can see with only one of my eyes at present. The stick produced (a light cane) is the one he beat me with. Ho also struck me on the head with his hands. The marks on my face were produced by his blows. On Saturday morning lie beat me again with the stick, both on the head and body. (The examination of the witness, who was crying, was conducted with difficulty.)

The accused said he had no questions to ask the child, but he had a statement to make.

W. B. Mackley, surgeon, stated that he examined the child on Saturday evening. The body as well as the face, was covered with bruises and excoriations ; arms, shoulders, loins, and back being bruised. The face was much swollen, and the eyes both discoloured, and he could not see the eyeballs for the swelling. There was a large bruise on the right side of the face, in front of the ear. Her right arm, from the shoulder to the elbow, was a mass of

braises and excoriations, and was as black as his coat. All her right side was bruised ; in fact, not a bit of skin the size of a sixpence was free from discolouration and bruises. He had seen cases oE less severe injuries prove fatal, but did not, from the girl’s appearance that day, expect any serious results. The upper arm was the most dangerous place, as inflammation might have set in. Bhe complained of her head being sore, but he could not examine it thoroughly, as she had a very thick head of hair. He believed she had been hurt by being pulled by the.hair. He did not think her eyes were permanently injured, but he had not since examined them. The injuries could have been produced by a light cane, but those on the face were probably caused by the open hand. To accused —I did not see any marks of old cuts or bruises about the girl’s head, but there were some about her legs. Jane Harrison, who is a married woman, residing at Darley, Caversham said —I know accused, ho lives in Cargill road. On Friday night my attention was directed to him and his daughter. She was walking with him, and I heard her saying, “ She would not do it any more ; she would never tell any more lies.” Afterwards some children directed my attention to Bussell’s house. The blind was down and I went to the window. She was standing in the corner, and he was sitting down. She was saying she would never do it again; but she did not seem to be speaking enough to please him, and he jumped up. pulled her out of the corner, and struck her. I watched him. He threw her on the floor, and gave her a most unmerciful thrashing with a stick. I rapped at the window and went away. Helen Hobson, residing at Darley. said—The girl has stopped with me since Saturday night. She came to me, and begged me to let her stay, as she was afraid to go home to her father. Her face was more swollen then than now. The girl’s sister cut her hair off yesterday. A good deal of it came out as if pulled out. To accused —I had the child’s hair cut off in consequence of its tilth more than to sec her injuries. I did not know she was so filthy when I let her into my bed on Saturday night. Mr Watt—ls anything known of the prisoner ? Is the mother alive? Mr Weldon —1 believe the mother is in Australia.

Accused—l beg your pardon. She is in Auckland, jour Worship, in ill health. Defendant, who was described as the owner of a section and keeper of the Carisbrook Cricket Ground, pleaded that the punishment was inflicted to prevent the girl attending Good Templar meetings and going to the bad. Mr Watt inflicted a line of £lO and gave the accused one, month to find the money.