The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

170.   LEAH HANCOCK (25) , Feloniously wounding   Michael Sheehan, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm.

MR. HARDY Prosecuted.

  MICHAEL SHEBHAN . I am a labourer, of 5, Queen Street, Deptford—on Saturday, November 23rd, about seven p.m., I was in the Red Lion and Wheatsheaf, and the prisoner came in—I was living with her, and had given her 15s. for housekeeping—when I went out she said, "What time shall you be home?" I said, "Between 5.30 and 6; I must go to the club"—she wanted me to go to a music-hall, but I would not—some one put her up that I was going to live with another woman to keep me, and when she came into the public-house, she asked if I was going away from her, and said, "Before you go away I shall blind you"—she had a glass in her hand, drinking whisky, and cut my face with it—I was taken to the hospital, and my eye has been extracted—she has lived with me seven years—I have not been carrying-on with any other woman.

Cross-examined by the Prisoner. I did not strike you in the public-house, or seize you by your hair; I never touched you—the barman was present all the time. (The prisoner produced a hospital card, stating that she was attended to there for a sprained shoulder.)

By the COURT. She had a sprained shoulder; the party who did that had imprisonment for it; it was two or three years ago—this purports to be a hospital card for 1895, and she had a sprained shoulder on November 25th last—I do not know how that is; it is false—I know of nothing that took her to the hospital on November 25th—I cannot understand their giving her a card stating that she had a sprained shoulder; she may have done it getting away from the police.

By the Prisoner. I did not come to you from Friday night till Monday after this; I only went to get my things—I met you in the street on the Sunday night, and you gave yourself up on the Monday—I met a bricklayer, who took me to a public-house, and I suppose they put something in my drink, for I found myself at home and in bed with you.

  HENRY STAFFORD . I am barman at the Lion and Wheatsheaf, Greenwich—I saw Sheehan there on November 23rd, and the prisoner came in and threatened him; I heard a little jangling between them and saw her strike him with a glass, and throw the pieces at him and run away—they were both sober—the glass was not a broken one, she was drinking out of it; I do not know whether she broke it before she struck him with it, my back was turned, but if she had I think I should have heard it—I saw the cut; the glass may have smashed on his face—after she struck him she threw it at him—Jenny Burns was talking to him, but not drinking with him; she came in about five minutes before he did—I handed the glass to the police.

Cross-examined. I did not say that I would fight you—he did not take you by your hair; he could not have done that without my seeing it.

  GEORGE  TULEY . I am a carman, of 27, Queen Street, Deptford

—on November 23rd I was in the Lion public-house—the prisoner and prosecutor were there jangling; I did not see him strike her, but she does no more but pull the glass from under her shawl, and struck him with it—it was whole—she did not chip it before she struck him—I was close to them, he could not have struck her without my seeing it—he did not take hold of her hair—other people were in the bar—I heard her threatening him she said "I will gouge your eye out."

  JEREMIAH BIRCH . I am a labourer, of 47, Regent Street, Deptford—on November 24th, I was in the Wheatsheaf, and heard the prisoner and prosecutor talking about 15s.; she said that it was not enough for her—I did not see him strike her, but she struck him twice with a glass before it broke, and again afterwards—he is a friend of mine, we were brought up together.

  EDWARD GODDARD (Detective Officer). On December 9th the prisoner came to Deptford police-station, and said "Is there a warrant for a person named Leah Hancock?"—I said "We want a person of that name, are you Leah Hancock—she said "Yes"—the prosecutor was sent for—Stafford gave this glass to the police.

  JOHN DONALD SMALL . I am senior resident medical officer at Milter's Hospital—on November 23rd Sheehan was brought there, he had an incised wound on his left eyebrow, dividing his eyelid and exposing his upper jaw—it was a deep wound, and it must have been a deliberate attempt, the glass must have been drawn right round—his eye was removed by the ophthalmic surgeon—it could not have been done if the glass was not broken.

Witnesses for the Defence.

  FANNY CROBY . My husband is a labourer—I went into this public-house on an errand and the prisoner asked me to have a glass of ale—they were quarrelling before I got down the street; I heard the noise and went back and they were fighting; there was a crowd outside—I saw the man lying on the ground with blood on his face—he was getting up and the prisoner was getting up too—I live in the same house and I know she was living with him—I had not heard them quarrelling.

  MARY ANN BRESLIN . I am single and am a hawker—the prisoner and prosecutor have been bad friends for some weeks; they quarrelled—Sheehan said that he did not want to live with her; he had a woman and was going to leave her—I was at the Police-court, but was not called—Sheehan came home on Saturday and gave her 15s., which was 10s. for his mother and 5s. for herself—his mother lives in the house—I heard him tell the prisoner to pack up her things; he was going—he went out and I heard no more till it occurred.

Prisoner's Defence. He wanted me to go and speak to the keeper, and of course there was a row. I am very sorry.

GUILTY of unlawfully wounding.— Six Months' Hard Labour.

Before Mr. Justice Hawkins.