Assault at Conisborough – Husband

August 1896

Mexborough and Swinton Times August 28, 1896

Assault at Conisborough

There were two charges against Patrick Fleming, the first for assaulting his wife on 17 August, and the second one of persistent cruelty to his wife.

Mr Parr appeared for the complaining, and Mr Baddiley defended.

Complainant said she had been to Doncaster to issue a summons in the previous case and came home about 6 o’clock and found the door locked. She had to get through the window. Defendant came home about 10:30 and commenced to burn a new blanket. Complainant demonstrated with him, and he struck her several times. He then ran her all around the house, and on to the stairs, where he again struck her. He then went into a neighbour’s house and stopped there till 1 o’clock the next morning, when he came home and struck her again. He then turned her out of the house, and she sat on the doorstep from 1 o’clock till five. A neighbour then saw her and took her in her own house.

Mr Beverley: But I don’t see where the persistent cruelty comes in.

Complainant: We’ve been married 12 months and I haven’t had a minute’s peace. When he has come into his meals he has not had a civil word for anybody. Every minute he has he is playing at cards or he is in the new hotel.

Mr Baddiley: on this date did you offer to throw a lamp at him? – Complainant: no, sir.

Mr Baddiley: How came the lamp to be broken then? – Complainant: it was an accident. I was turning round with the lamp in my hand, and hit the cupboard door.

Mr Baddiley: did you throw some water on him. – Complainant: yes.

Mr Baddiley: And some pots – complainant: no, I only through some water.

Mr Baddiley: What time did you come home, 10 o’clock – no, sir, 6 o’clock. – Where was your husband then? In the new hotel. – How do you know he was there? Because he is never anywhere else. He will not work. He only brought me 15s home last week, and I had a coffin to pay for out of that, and then he set unto me when I had nothing for his breakfast.

Mrs Edwards collaborated complainant story as to sitting on doorstep. – For the defence, Martha Ratcliffe said defendant had not time to, the assault complained of at 10 o’clock. He was not in the house three minutes.

She said whenever the defendant went into the house she could hear the complainant unto him.

The Chairman: we shall order you to pay the costs, and you will have to come up for judgement in a month today, and if you treat your wife probably in the meantime nothing further will be said of the matter.

Prisoner: but she has left me your honour, and gone to live with her mother. The chairman “(to complainant): are you willing to go and live with your husband?

Complainant: Yes, if he will treat me properly.