Machine Inn, Hereford Street
1861 John & Jane Morris
Hereford Journal -13 March 1861
PRESTEIGN, PETTY SESSIONS, TUESDAY. (Before the Rev. G. R. Turner, and E. James, Esq., M.D.)
Miss Elizabeth Morris, of the Machine Inn, of this town, was summoned for an assault on Emma Meredith, of this town, on the 6th Feb. last.
Complainant deposed: I reside in Hereford-street, in this town; Elizabeth Morris resides next door; on Wednesday, the 6th day of February last, between ten and eleven o'clock in the forenoon, she came into my house and said she did not value anyone in the house; I was working at the back door when she came in, and went to meet her; she then struck me on the shoulder without alleging any reason for doing so; she followed me into the house; she threatened to strike me again, but my aunt prevented her, and she then left the house; I followed her out and called her a nasty stinking strumpet; she turned back, and with an oath threatened to scratch my eyes out; she struck me several times on the head, when I pushed her away, but did not strike her in return, she then left and went home; on the following morning I had occasion to go to her house for a blacking brush, when some angry words passed between us.
Cross-examined by defendant: I will positively swear you threatened to scratch my eyes out.
Mary Ann Meredith deposed, I am sister to last witness; on the day named defendant came into our house and struck my sister twice; she then walked out and called us "rubbish;" she came back again and struck my sister several times on the head; they had no words previously; I saw the whole of the assault, and am quite sure Elizabeth Morris struck my sister on the head.
Defendant, in reply to the charge said that the evening previous to the alleged assault she had a few friends to tea, when she caught the complainant listening under her window; she had threatened her with a summons for saying things about her; complainant struck her on the shoulder and ran violently against her; never threatened to scratch her eyes out.
The Bench considered the assault committed of a most serious nature, and advised defendant to be more careful in future, adding, that if she again appeared before them on a similar charge, she would be much more severely dealt with. She was fined 5s. and expenses, amounting in all to 16s. 6d., or 14 days' imprisonment. The money was paid.
1871 Elizabeth Morris