Sheffield Independent – Tuesday 24 June 1884
A Family Quarrel at Denaby Main
Mary Ann Walters, married woman, Denaby Main, was summoned by her husband, a miner, for an assault on June 14th. Mr. Hickmott appeared for the complainant, and Mr. Barkers defended.
Complainant is a miner, earning about 35s. per week at Denaby Main Pit. He had been married to the defendant about 15 years, but she had given way to drunken habits. Her allowed her 22s. 6d. for food, and provided clothing, coal, and other things for himself and children. She was regularly drunk, and spent the money he allowed her, and obtained “on strap.” The children were frequently without food and neglected, and she had left them locked in the house and been out all night, and had to break a window to get in.
On Thursday, June 12th, he discovered a neck chain he had missed secreted in the mattress of the bed, and on the day in question she accused him of having possession of the chain and made use of foul expressions. She seized his watch and chain, and said she would “take this,” and ran into the front room, and was apparently about to throw the watch and chain into the fire when he seized hold of it. She then struck him several blows.
A cross summons had been issued, and Mrs. Walters in her statement said she had previously obtained a protection order against her husband, who had run away and left her with three children. They now had five children. She denied the charge of drunkenness. She had been summoned at Parkgate, and the quarter was about £25 she had saved when under the protection order. They had since lived together. She claimed the chain as her own, saying it was a gift from her husband.
The Chairman (Mr. Jubb) gave Mrs. Walters a bit of advice, and said in the hope that they would agree and live comfortably together they would make an order that both should pay their own costs.
In the hearing of the case the defendant produced a bank note which she had lodged to her husband, and it was at once handed to him.
Ready for the next one.