RESIDENT MAGISTRATE COURT.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 762, 12 January 1871, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE COURT.

(Before R.C. Reid, & S. Thorpe, J.P.'s.) Wednesday. January 11. Abusive Language. Adeline and Fanny Venables were charged by John Harris with having used insulting, abusive, and provoking language, calculated to create a breach of the peace, on Monday, the 9th inst. John Harris stated that the two girls were in his employ as dance girls at the National Hotel, that they had been engaged for two months from December last, but that their language was so disgusting and abusive on Monday last, that he found it necessary to lay an information against them, in order that they might be lightly punished, or bound over to keep the peace. He had also laid an information against Adeline Venables for assault, she having, after using the language complained of, thrown stones at the complainant, one of which struck him on the arm, and otherwise maltreating him. Three witnesses were called by the complainant, and two by the defendants, who gave more or less modified statements of the language used, and of the nature of the stone-throwing. The Bench was of opinion that although the language used was most discreditable, and would sufficiently indicate that the defendants were lost to all sense of self-respect, yet it was not of so provoking a character as to endanger any breach of the peace. It was not for the complainant to imagine whenever an abusive or offensive epithet were used, that he should rush to seek the Court to purify the atmosphere, when the first blame, that of entering into business arrangements with them, rested with the complainant himself. Both cases were dismissed with costs.