Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

20 articles on this Page

CAERSWS RURAL COUNCIL. --

OPENING OF NEW ORGAN AT MOCHDRE…

MONTGOMERYSHIRE INFIRMARY…

MR. DAVID DAVIES' OTTER HOUNDS

NEWTOWJS.

WELSHPOOL.

LLANIDLOES.

Benighted Newtown.

Newtown Waterworks.

[No title]

MACHYNLLETH.

CAERSWS.

"Possessed of Seven Devils."

News
Cite
Share

"Possessed of Seven Devils." JUDGE EVANS AND A WOMAN PLAINTIFF. BUTTINGTON FARMER'S ASSAULT JUSTIFIED. Ac extraordinary story was told at the Welsh- pool County Court last Thursday, when Jane France, Green Lane, formerly of Brunant, Buttington, claimed .£50 damages for alleged assault by David Hopkins, a farmer living at Brunant. Mr Montague Woosnam, solicitor, Newtown, appeared for plaintiff, and Mr J. E. Tomley, solicitor, Montgomery, defended. Mrs France said that on September 25th last defendant brought some sheep down the lane in front of her house. They were dripping from Cooper's Dip," and she asked him to drive them on. He refused, and she said, "Do you want my bit of grass ? and opened a gate. Defendant caught hold of her, struck her, and knocked her down. When she got up, he again knocked her down. She sustained severe injuries, could not do her household duties, and had to be attended by a doctor. Mr Tomley a&ked plaintiff had she been on good terms with her previous neighbours. She replied that she had, but admitted having been fined R5 for poisoning one neighbour's fowls, assaulting a Mrs Griffiths, and a man named William Evans. Plaintiff's husband gave evidence that he saw defendant beating his wife, and dragging her on the ground. Witness said, "HEY! STOP THAT! I WON'T ALLOW THAT The Judge: I should have thought you 'would have done more than that. Why didn't you go up, and give him a good whipping ? Witness My hand was bad. Mr Tomley: Is your wife of a quarrelsome disposition ? Witness: Not more than other women. The Judge: They are all very lively there ? Witness: Yes (laughter). Replying to Mr Tomley, the husband added that he had never quarrelled with his wife or beaten her. They had been married 22 years. Dr. George A. Skinner, Welshpool, gave evi- dence that on the evening of September 25th he examined plaintiff, and found she suffered from shock. There were abrasions on the face and back of the neck, and she bad two fractured ribs. She complained of pain in the knee, but he found no injury there. He examined her last Monday and found the right knee swollen It inches more than the left. That injury, he thought, would be permanent. Defendant gave evidence that be had been dipping, he sheep with the help of a man named Best. They brought the sheep down to the end of the lane, which led to his fields, in order to mark them before he turned them on the common. Mrs France came down the garden with a besom in her hand, and opened the gate to let the sheep away. He closed the gate; she opened it again, and he had to close it again. Best then said, "I'll mind the gate, you go on marking the sheep." When Best went to the gate Mrs France STRUCK Rur WITH A BESOM, and the force of the blow broke the shaft. She then picked up stones and threw at them. Witness went and caught hold of her hands, as some of the stones nearly hit him. Plaintiff bit his hand, and struggled violently. Witness told his wife to take the sheep away, and was going away when Mrs 'France hit him with a large stone on the back of the head. He produced in Court his cap onrl n. handacre with blood on them. After the blow he turned around and struck Mrs France. It was the only assault he committed, and he knew he did wrong, but could not help it. Cross-examined, witness said he did not know how Mrs France sustained the injuries to her ribs and knee, unle?s it was when she was struggling and got on the ground. Dr. Arthur Crump, Welshpool, deposed that on the evening of September 25th, he found a wound on defendant's hand 'and another on the back of his head. Both were of a serious nature. Best and Mrs Hopkins corroborated, and Mr Tomley was about to call further evidenoe, when the Judge said he had beard sufficient. Defen- dant's assault, he added, was thoroughly justified. Plaintiff had committed an assault of a bad character, and he was quite sure she required to be put under restraint, and it took a good deal to keep her in decent order. After hearing all the evidence the Judge did not think that all she suffered from could in any way be attributed to defendant. She seemed to be possessed of seven devils, threw herself en the ground, and did herself damage in that way. The evidence was pretty clear, and justified defendant in protecting himself. Judgment was entered for defendant.

F BOWLING.

MOCHDRE.

LLANDINAM.

BERRIEW.

A Farmer's Sadden Death.

Towels as Underclothing.

[No title]