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NEW PLYMOUTH SCANDAL-

AN EXCITING FIGHT. APBIEST AND AN ENRAGED HUSBAND. The following are fuller particulars of the New Plymouth scandal—that is the case heard there last week when Charles Gallagher with using threatening language to his%ife. THE WIFE’S STATEMENT. Margaret Gallagher deposed that she was the wife of accused. She had been married to him for 10A years, and she had five children, who were now in the convent. After some preliminary evidence she deposed:—The Rev. Father O’Donnell drove me to Waitara to see a lady friend there. I returned at 1.40 p.m., having left New Plymouth at 11 a.m. We only stayed a few minutes at Waitara while I visited a lady friend, who plucked me a bunch of flowers. Dinner was ready when we got back. The Rev. Fathers Cassidy and Costello had finished their dinner; the Rev. Father Cassidy went out. I sat down at the table at dinner. I did not see my husband when I came in. After I had finished my dinner the lervant said she hoped I would not go until I had a cup of tea. I had half taken my cup of tea when Mr Gallagher came to the diningroom door. He addressed me as usual, i* Madafn.” He said, “Madam, I want you.” I said, “I will come directly I drink my tea.” He went into the bedroom. He had all the children in there. I heard him speaking to them, but I could not hear what he said. He came to the dining-room door again. He turned to me and said very roughly, “ You had better get out of here.” He raised his hand at the same time to strike me. I was sitting down finishing my tea. Father *JBonnell, who was sitting nearer to my stood up and prevented my husband me. He said, “You shall not strike Mrs Gallagher while I am here.” Before that, in the morning of the same day, at about nine o’clock, I went into the bedroom, and my husband said to me, ‘‘l do not know what to think or what to do. I will get away from here as soon as possible ; you are always getting me into trouble. I will take your life. 1 promised to do it often. I will blow your brains out.” He told me the day before that he had got a revolver from a tobacconist, and ha would blow our four brains out, m»a ing the three rev. gentlemen and myself. All these threats tended to make me frightened; he has an uncontrollable temper He has threatened to shoot me hundreds of times. Mr Gallagher : Were you frightened of met • Mrs Gallagher? Was I frightened? I should think I was. He has pointed a loaded revolver at my head. He has beaten me till I could not see. I have been subject to frequent ill usage. I have given no cause for him to take notice of—for any sane man, at least. lam now in bodily fear of him. Cross-examined . I have had trouble with you before we met Father Cassidy. Defendant: What was the cause of the first row we had here ? Was it not because Father Cassidy asked Father O’Donnell to take you out for a drive, and I objected ? Witness: No; I did not hear you object. Of course yon are of a suspicious nature. Defendant: Did I not say “ I want five minutes' talk witn you !” . Witness: Yes; and I said I would come when I had finished my tea. lam not a little poodle dog that I should dance alien* dance on you. * Defendant: Were we not friends on Monday morning before we got out of bed ? Witness: Oh, yes; you said I was a love and all that was good. Defendant: On Friday morning did I not tell you that I did not want you to go out driving with Father O’Donnell ? Witness : I don’t remember.

. Defendant: Have I not settled all my property on you ? Witness : Yes ; settled everything on me ; it wa for your own good.

• THE PRIEST DESCRIBES THE BATTLE. Richard O’Donnell, priest in holy orders in the Catholic Church, stated that he had been staying in New Plymouth for about eleven months with Father Cassidy. Mr and Mrs Gallagher came to st y shortly before Christmas. They seemed to be on bad terms. On tire day preceding Christmas, I asked Mrs Gallagher tog • out for a drive, and she said •• Yea.”. The husband made no objection. We went to W>j tar a for a drive, and returned to New Plymou h at 1.40. I did Dot see Mr Gallagher till dinner was over, when he came to the door and asked bis wife to go into the bedroom. He told her she would have to come in. She said she would as soon as she had taken her tea. He went away, and came back and asked her again, but she did not go. He held up his hand to strike her. I told him he would not strike bar when I was there. He turned to me, and told me that Father Cassidy and I were laughing at him. Then be put up his fist and hit me on the side of the jaw with his clenched hand. 1 took hold of him by the collar with one hand and pushed him back into the corridor, and as he went back his head struck on the framework of the door. It was accidently that his head struck. He backed up against the end of the front door, and it shut to. I was holding him, but I had Dot up to that time struck him. When the door shut I pushed him into the little parlor. I was doing this so as to get him away .from his wife, so that he would not ill-treat her. When I got him into the parlor, I struck him. I GOT ENRAGED, He was struggling with me. I cannot say that he tried then to hit me. I had entirely lost my temper. Father Costello was in the me at the time. I Jput Gallagher IfflMpn the ground on his back. I cannot say Whether the marks which are now on his face were caused by me; it is possible they were. I struck him twice, lam certain, but I cannot say whether I did it eftener or not; I may have done. I bumped him on the on the ground several times. He cried out lor mercy, and said it was only a coward that Would strike him down. I stood him up on his legs on the floor. I told him to promise that he would not attempt that again while be was here. Defendant sat down on the sofa, and I asked him again to promise; he would not promise. He said if it were not for the coat I had on he would strike me. I Baid, “I wiil«take off the coat,” ana was proceeding to take it off when defendant took hold of me and would not let me take off my eoat. Father Costello told me to give Gal lagher a good thrashing. Gallagher said that One was ’not able for him ; it took two. I said, “ All right,” and told him to be ready. He then commenced to defend himself, and. tried to strike me. He shaped at me. I hit him with my left fist over the right ear. and his head went against the window. He took holdj&a vase with, fish in it, and tried to with it. Father Costello took hold of That was the! 8 first time Father Costello touched him. He prevented Gab lagher striking me with it. I then put him on the ground. Defendant tried to kick me the first time he was down. The second time he got hold of my whiskers, and tried to bite. I bumped him up and down till he stopped that. We put him on his feet again, and told him to wash his face. I told Father Costello to tell the children to go to the convent, so that they might not see their father in such a condition. When the children were gone, we let him out to the bedroom, where he washed his face. Mrs Gii'lagher went to the convent with the children. Afterward* Gallagher went out. Mrs Gallagher has been Staying at the convent ever since the affair. Cross-examined: The first time I struck you it was iu the room. Ido not know whetberyou fell fn.m the effects of the blow. Father (fttello did not get h»ld of your hand &ud you when I arrack you. Father Qoatelb* t<>ld me rp give you a good hammering. Your toot did not touch me. I cannot aay what your intentions were, but I thought you ried to kick me. You might have fallen on the tub e. I cannot say whether I threatened to strangle you I might hive done. 1 lifted you up and knocked you down again. I would not let you out of the room when you asked me, because you would not , answcijjsy question. I had my kuse on your breast. I don’t think I hit you down. Defendant: Did not Father C.«tello pat you on the shoulder and tell you to thrash -me ? Witness ; Yes. Father Costello deposed that he was present during the disturbance. He corroborated ths by Father O’DonneLl. la addition, he admitted havingAold Father O’Dqxuwu wheat QiUUater, rather -

nell was quite cool, but Gallagher was very excited. He did not hold Gallagher while Father O Donnell thrashed him Witness saw Gallagher try to strike Mrs Gallagher Gallagher also threatened to shoot the four of them. He had known the Gallaghers in Auckland and the Thames, and he did not know any cause given by Mrs Gallagher to provoke Gallagher. Cross examined : You have boasted that you have shot some priests in Colorado one morning before breakfast. To the bench : I cannot say that have 0 ever seen Mr Gallagher drunk, but he ha B constantly appeared to be muddled. Charles Gallagher deposed : I used threats to Mrs Gallagher. On Thursday night Mrs Gallagher came to me and said that she was going out for a drive with Father O'Donnell, and 1 told h r not to go. I never told Mrs Gallagher that I would shoot her. I thought that MY WIFE SHOULD GO OUT WITH Ml inste dof g -ing out with the priest. It was only a joke about the revolver and shooting priests. I admit that lam hasty in temper. I was not drunk then, I don’t remember any thing about striking the priest 1 have no lawyer here to help me, and I cannot state my case. I made all my prope< ty over to my wife. The Bench said it was clear he would have to be bound over to keep the peace in £2OO, and two securities in £lOO each to keep the peace for six calendar months. Defendant said he had nothing to ssy against his wife’s character.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GSCCG18890105.2.16

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 243, 5 January 1889, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,859

NEW PLYMOUTH SCANDAL- Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 243, 5 January 1889, Page 3

NEW PLYMOUTH SCANDAL- Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 243, 5 January 1889, Page 3

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