Mexborough & Swinton Times, June 24th 1911
Matrimonial Friction at Denaby
Alleged Persistent Cruelty
John Monaghan, miner, Denaby was summoned by his wife, Margaret Monaghan, for persistent cruelty.
Margaret Monaghan, 60, Clifton Street, Denaby, said she was married to defendant in September 1899.
Five children of the marriage, aged nine, eight, five, three and 12 months respectively. She left her husband because he had been cruel to her. On Saturday, June 10, her husband came home at 10:30 pm in an intoxicated condition. When he came in she said, “You have come some time.” He asked her for something to eat. Words passed between them. He said she had been a fraud to him and he also called sister filthy names. On the following Wednesday he assaulted her again. Defendant had ran out of the house on several occasions. In endeavouring to get out of his way on one occasion witness got her fingers trapped in the door. One night in the second week of April she was asleep in bed with the children and her husband went upstairs and got hold of her hair and pulled her out of bed. He inflicted a wound an arm necessitating two stitches being put in. In fact she had had a very miserable life. Witness got out a summons against him two or three years ago, but on his promising to mend his ways she withdrew the summons. Since then he had many times promised to be different, but his ways were not in keeping with his promises.
Defendant: did I hit you on Saturday? – No.
Did I turn you out? – I had to rush out because you were after me.
Did your sister and her husband disagree about a lodger? I don’t know anything about that.
How many times did the next door people knock the wall for you to go in? – Several times.
How many times did you go to the “Big Drum” with jugs of beer for yourself and the neighbours? – Not many.
Did you fall off the bed and cut your arm on the bucket? – No.
Did I go into the house for you and tell you that there was a home for you and the children? – Yes.
Did you take the little lad’s Sunday clothes out of the drawer and pawn them? – Yes, to get money to take out a summons.
Mary Furness, married, residing near the house of the complainant, also gave evidence of seeing the complainant with black eyes, but never had seen any of the assaults committed previous to the summons been taken out.
Mrs Monaghan, in answer to the Clerk said she was afraid of her husband, and would like protection. She would however, go back to him if he would be all right.
The defendant said the allegations of his wife were untrue. He had never assaulted her. He never pulled her out of bed, she fell at because she was drunk, and injury to her arm was caused by falling onto the bucket which was beside the bed. He promised to have his wife back if she would give up associating with the woman next door.
The case was adjourned for a week to give the parties an opportunity to come together.