RESIDENT MAGISTRATE COURT.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1130, 5 December 1873, Page 4

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE COURT.

(Before Joseph Giles. Esq., E.M ) Tuesday, Deckmkeb 2. rNFOItMATCONSLouisa Dodson .against Frederick Bowell, and Frederick Powell v. Louisa Dodson.—Charge and counter-charge of lining abusive language and personal violence. Mr Shapter appeared as ('ounsel for Powell. The parties are neighbors living in J.yttleton street, and occasionally employ their leisure hours in having a square row. ()n Friday Mrs Dodson had lit a fire in her back-yard, it being, as she 'said, washing day, but the sparks and smoke found its way across the fence «!tid soiled Mrs Powell's clothes hanging on the line to dry, and also, as Powell averred, came into his house. To remedy this he threw a bucket of water on the fre, but in quenching the flames raised Mrs Dodson's ire, and she attacked him with a clothes prop, and threatened to smash his head with a bottle. Powell then, according to her own statement, hit her on the face, and they had a general scrimmage and talked expressively. Three witnesses were called Elizabeth Campbell, who had heard the row and the " chiacking," and had seen Powell strike his female neighbor, who thereupon tried to hit him again. Miss Ward had also witnessed the row from the commencement, but saw no blows struck. James Arthurs Maguire was there too and saw Mrs Dodson use a lump of a stick, and call Powell improper names. The fire he said had been made of bones end gunny bags, and was lit not for heating water but to smoke three herrings dangling on a string, and also to smoke Mrs Powell's clothes. The Court dismissed the informations, adjudging costs of Court, 12s 6d, against Mrs Dodson who had laid the first information. There were no civil cases brought on for hearing.