Thursday, September 20, 2012

CRESWICK.

CRESWICK.
The following case was tried atthe Police Court, Creswick, on Friday last: —" Anne Leo Clung v. William Loo Ching, claim formaintenance. Mr. Burton for the complainant, and Mr. Thompson for the defendant. Anne Loo Ching said: lam the wife of William Loo Cliing.. I was confined in Ballarat seven weeks previous to my trial. I was tried on the 12th of last month for suffocating my chhd, and was acquitted. I came home ou the 13th. On the Sunday, I saw Loo Ching and another Chinaman there. I went with Mrs. Ah Coon. Loo Cliing tried to push me out of the house, I said, " I will not go out; 1 am your lawful wife, and you shall not live with any other woman." He said, " I will keep as many wives as the Chinese law allows." Ho gave me .£1 ou Sunday to go to Ballarat with: I expended it in paying for my coach hire and buying a pair of boots. I have been home since, and slept with him on Thursday night. I saw' Julia Miller at Loo dung's house. He said she was his housekeeper. I am at present staying with the wife of a Chinaman on tbe Black Lead. I am to pay her £1 per week for my board and lodging. Cross-examined by Mr. Thompson : I was tried for suffocating my child. I was married in Melbourne to Loo.Ching by a Protestant clergyman. Loo Ching has taken awa}' my marriage certificate, wedding-ring*, and keepers. I was not tried in Castlemaine for stabbing anybody. 1 got drunk, but Loo Ching gives me tho liquor. I swear I have, never been locked up in Ballarat since my trial, nor did my husband ever catch me in bed with a Chinaman or any body else. I do not know William Griff. lam now living with a Chinaman's wife on the Black Lead. When I went to Loo Ching's house I found two eggs in the cupboard, which I broke on Julia Miller's face. lam not of a violent temper, or I would not allow Loo Ching to gag me and beat me with his Chinese slipper. By Mr. Burton — I lived and slept with Loo Ching before I was sent to Ballarat and since I came back I slept with him, and did not sleep on a sofa. I aud Mrs. Ah Coon and Loo Ching slept together on Thursday night. He slept in the middle. I was a servant when I married him. I was married to him three years ou the Oth of next May. I wish to go back and live with my husband. Mr. Thompson submitted to the Bench that there was no proof of marriage, no certificate having been produced. After some discussion the point was waived. Mr. Thompson called for the defence Loo Ching, who said —I know the prosecutor. lam married to her. I was married in an English church. In Castlemaine she tried to stab me v/ith a knife. She was sent to gaol, but as we had only been a short time married, I bailed her out five months after. On Clarke's Flat she set fire to my house. She used to be continually drunk, both day and night. She has been in the lock-up more than ten times. After she had the first child, I was one night laying in bed with the baby when I saw her get a large knife. I lay still to see what she would do. She came up and took me by the head. I then caught her wrist, and said, " What are you going to do 1" She said, " I am going to cut some bread and butter." 1 said, " Do you take my throat to bo bread and butter 1" I had her brought before the Bench, and she was bound to the peace for six months. I felt ashamed of bringing her before the Court so often, and was advised, if she would not conduct herself better, to get a warrant for her. One day she was drunk and went to the shoemaker. I went to the door, and shoved it in, and found her hi bed. He said he had taken her in because she was drunk. She was very dirty. She used to keep ihe house like a closet. I used to keep a servant, but no girl would stop. They liked me, but not her. My father is dead, and lam getting old, aud through my wife's conduct I have no children left. I turn my head to look but can see none of my family; lam alone. .By Mr. Burton—l have lived and slept with her since the affair occurred which I have mentioned. She is now living with a Chinaman's wife on Black Lead. »1 have but one house left. The Bench made an order for 10s a week to the complainant, and 25s 6d costs, warning her at the same time that if she annoyed Loo Ching in future she should forfeit tlie 10s per week.— Ballarat Star. Otago Daily Times , Issue 164, 26 May 1862, Page 5

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