SHOCKING TREATMENT OF AN INVALID Charge of Wife-Murder. (By Electric Telegraph.)

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 103, 23 May 1885, Page 3

SHOCKING TREATMENT OF AN INVALID Charge of Wife-Murder. (By Electric Telegraph.)

vxERALUiSE, this day. On Wednesday, Coroner Craddey held an inquest on the body of Hannah Trenlove. The evidence of Elizabeth Bennett, who attended deceased during her illness for some six or seven weeks, showed that Charles Trenlove, the husband of the deceased, was of very intemperate habits, and on several occasions ill-treated her. On the 11th of May he struck her with his closed list on both sides of her head, pulled her hair, and threw her out of the back door. From that time the deceased became worse and took to her bed, and never left it till the day of her death, with the exception of one day. About a fortnight ago she saw Trenlove hit his wife on the leg j she was then in bed, and he was on the floor and had shoes on at the time. Another time he struck her on the head with his fist because she did not find a bill ; he also called her foul names. She had seen him beat her four times for certain during her illness. Once he pulled her out of bed by the arm, and punched her when on the floor on the head and body with his closed fist. Witness interfered, but was put out and threatened. She reported the treatment to her mother. The deceased was supplied with delicacies by the neighbours, but her husband drank what was sent for her himself. A few days before her death Trenlove behaved most shamefully to the deceased (much of the evidence was unfit for publication. ) Ruth Stringer and Edith Stringer sisters of the deceased, corroborated the evidence of the last witness in many points as to the ill treatment, ana Mrs Stringer mother of the deceased, also testified to having seen the bruises occasioned bv alleged 11-treatment. * Dr. Fish and Dr. Trevor, who made a post mortem examination, swore to the existence of considerable disoolourment as from bruises in the tissues beneath the scalp, and reaching down to the bone. The injuries, they considered, were inilioted not many days pre vious to death. The largest bruise iaa on the crown of the head. There was also the same kind of injury on tho right bide of the head, and a smaller one on the frontal bone. The other organs of the body were m a state such as they would expect in a case o£ fever. The injuries on the head could be caused by, a blow from any blunt instrument. There was also a bruise on tb© W about tho size of a shilling. They were of opinion that deceased died from fever. The treatment described by witnesses, if receive by deceased would be very prejudicial, and wouid retard, recovery. Ruth dootorfc were satisfied that such treatment would certainly ha*teV tho death i f, deoeased. Dr. Fish added that the bruise on the side of the head mn»ht have been self inflicted by a fall from the bed but not that on the crown. Bfchad attended deceased from the fi^t, &nd always boped she would recnve* tttWhhin *h» laM few rtaxe «iene»s m , -. hi j »»....„ the «. an wh>v ill t H * deceased \ta» cure.** x t»tu»blt ; ui .mtiicuiig ihem l owinc t« weakness, within the last tew days. The jury, after half an-hour, gave the following verdict ,:-« The jury, alter having carefully considered tho evidence given bv the witnesses, andalsoth^kwonthesubjeck find Charles Trentavo guilty of the murder of his wife, Hannah Trenlove." Out utf eighteen, there were two dissentients *WWWe was committed for trial at Timaro $wwife murder. He appeared to be greatly moved, and left the room convulsed with weeping.

In a Sonloh divorce case which lately came before the Curt *it .m^siou, the couple had been married for thirty-five years, and the wife (who wa3 the petitioner) was th*.