Police Court. PAEROA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1889.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 415, 30 October 1889, Page 2

Police Court. PAEROA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1889.

'[Before Messrs N. Kenny & J, Uott, J.'sP.] AasAui/r by Stubbing; Walter Scott, carpenter, of Paeroa, was _ charged on the information of

i October last, at Baeroa, unlawfully and 'maliciously cutj stab, '■and wound her with a knife- v Constable' A. J. Mitchell conducted the prosecution ; and the following witnesses were 'examined :—- , Ellen Scott, sworn, stated : lam the wife of accused, and reside at Paeroa. On Monday last, about 7 p.m., I was sitting by the fire jm my'own kitchen, and not being very well had a rug round me, my hands being wrapped' up in the lug. I was so sitting when the accused came into the kibchen. My two little neices, Elizabeth and Gertrude Agnew, and my own daughter, Annio McCloughen, were thovo, but my' two neicos left directly accused came -in. 1 ' He asked if tea was • ready, my little daughter , Annie .replied it was, an<] whilst the tea was being placed on the table the accused began talking about my sister, Mrs Agnew, and kept calling her very bad names. He said she had asked htm for rent due to her, and on account of something she had said to him, he began threatening what he would, do to , her, at the, same time calling her very bad names. For a long time I made" no remark, but , begged of him, to leave me a' one as I did not 'feel well "enough to be worried. , At this time accused was having his tea. He kept on, however, abusing Mrs Agnew. I told him if he had any grievance against Mrs Agnew she was well able to take her own part, as Bhe was in the right. He then called me a very foul name, and said you will take her part against me, and immediately thiew the table knife at me that he was using at tea. The knife struck me on the righ'fc'hand side df the upper lip, causing the blood to spoufc but over the rug and my hands and gave me great pain in the face. I screamed out, then I called to my little neice Annie that' l was 1 hurt. I first put the rug up to my face and then got up and put the table cloth up to my face. The table cloth now produced (exhibit A.), is the one I refer to, and the blood marks thereon were caused by the blood from the wound I received in my face. The table cloth since then has been in my possession up, to about two o'clock tcday, when I sent my daughter Annio for it at Constable Mitchells request, and handed it over to him. Whilst I was kneeling at the table holding the cloth to my face accused came round to me, and said he was sorry for what he had done and did not mean to do it. From the position I was sitting in at ithe time I cannot say I actually saw accusod in the act of throwing the knife. The knife produced, exhibit B, (an ordinary dinner knife with some brass wire round the handle) I recognise as the one thrown at me, it is the only one I have that has wire round the handle. I then went out to the shed, and accused followed me out. I rold my daughter •Annie to go for Constable Mitchell.' Accused paid do nothing of the Sort, it was only a scratch. Shortly afterwards accused, called. God to curse inp, nnd, then went out of the shed remarking he would never come 'near'the place again. I do not think accused was very sober at this time ; but he knew perfectly well' what lie was domp. ' - By Accused ! When you threw the knife you weie sitting clown having yourtra. Tho distance to where I was when the knife struck me wns fully four feec After the knife struck me, and as I was holding the table cloth to the wound you can.c round, tiied to lift me up and said you did not mean lo do it. I sweai 1 that 1 never said to you or anyone else tint I vj«s auangmg with Constable Mitchell t> iq< X oa out of the place and would have yon put in gaol, or any htatemeutof that kind. I dul tell you if you did not Hear oui of Paeroa T would lay the information ; and aayoudil not leave I lnid the information fco save tlu life of 1113 self ami niy childien, as I could not lne with you any longer. On lasfMaturday night you did rouie to me in the shod. You then asked me to give over my ill' temper* and come back to my bed room, but you were the woisc of ch-Mik'at the time and I did not go. I wisi'i hed in the shed when you thus came nnd a<Ked me! to go back. You then came into the same bel where I and the children were ; afte r 3'ou wore usleep I got up and went back to ni own>bed. On' Sunday morning" you came in to me in the bedroom, but I decline to say you tried to make up friends because you made such iv remark as caused me at once to get up and go back to tlie bed in the shed. On Sunday e\ cuing you shook up some money'in your pocket, and said I have money and that will bring you round. By Constable Mitchell : If, was on list Tuesday, the day after this assault, fchnt I told accused I would J)|y an information against* h"m if he did not'iearei Paeroa before twelve noon. , sv , , ■ ■ "By Accused through the Court: s The rug produced is the one I referred to as having had round my shoulders' at the time, there are marks on it, but I .would ,not swear they are Wood marks. '- - v t * - By Court : I could not swear if anyone besides accused and myself was in the room at the time the-assault'was committed* but 1 I think Annie McCloughen was standing near the door. The shed was a slab one, but with a door to it. 'I did intend to use it as a sleepI ing place for the children, and asked accused to fix it uf , as it is not fit for a dog to sleep in as at present.* ,-, Annie McCloughen sworn : The accused is my step-father, the last witness is my mother, and I live at home \yi{jh. them at Paeroa, I remember last Monday evening:, and my stepfather coming home to tea. I saw him at the table in the kitchen, .batjirn not sure whether he was having bis tea or not. My mother was in the kitchen at tlu'sstinae sitting in a^ocking chair by the fire with a rug round her. The rug produced is the one I refer to. My stepfather 'talking to my mother an'd saying something about what he would do to mv Auntie, Mrs Agnew, and calling her names. I saw my stepfather' throw a knife at my motherj which struck her and cut her lip. Before this happened my mother said to my Btep-father not to worry her as she was not well enough to be worried, I saw my mother's lip Was bleeding just after she was' struck by the knife. 1 v liwas standing byithe kitchen door ' when I saw the knife thrown. My mother got up and went, over to the table and put the table cloth up to her 4 bleeding lip. lat once came up to my mother as Bhe was kneeling by the table and tried to lift her. Mr Scott also tried, to, lift her up. I wps crying. My mother was Viping the blood 1 from her lip with the tablecloth. -The knife my BteD~ fathor threw at my mother had wire round the handle. I believe the one now produced is the same. It is f the only Knife we have that has wire round the handle. I picked the knife up,frotn : the floor <apd^ believe 'it had b\qod'On the point of it which*! "wa3*hed"off when wash^ ing up the tea things., J, gave the knife to Constable MicohellWterwarclsV v4 '* "' 1 By Bench : I usually set the knife with the wire round the t handle for- 'Mr {Scott, and remember I set it 'for 6im l oirMondky night. By Accused : My mother was sitting in the rocking chair with her* feet towards the fire at tho time you sat down to your tea. You were sitting down when you threw .the knife ; and I saw the knife r-tnke my mother. ' [At this stage of the proceedings owing to the lateness of the -Hour— 5 45 p.m. — the Court .was adjourned till-n ext day.]