A Strange Story of Matrimony at Mexborough

On Saturday, at Doncaster, Henry Cordingley, a young man, employed in a colliery, was summoned for having committed an aggravated assault on his wife, Annie Cordingley.

The complainant, a young woman, stated that she was married to the defendant last November, but ever since the first week of their marriage he had assaulted her ; not a week passed without him thrashing her.

On the day in question she was sitting on a form on the cricket ground at Mexbro’ with a young man named Thompson. It was the day of the temperance demonstration. Whilst she was there her husband came up and struck her in the neck’, and knocked her down. He repeated the assault several times.

She was not living with him at present. He left her some weeks ago, and was now living at Mexbro.’ She was living at Conisbro’. Her mother lived at Sheffield. She wished for a separation order. Her husband’s wages amounted to 16s. 6d. per week. The defendant denied the assault, and said the young man Thompson, who was with his wife, took off his coat to fight him. Thompson struck him and he returned the blow, and then his wife fainted. She had promised to meet him at the Mexbro’ Railway Station on the afternoon of the assault, but did not do so.

The complainant said she was afraid to be with her husband.

The Magistrates granted a judicial separation, and ordered the defendant to pay to his wife 2s. od. per week. He also had to pay the cost of the proceedings, which came to £1. 13s.