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                   P E T T Y    S E S S I O N S
                           ______^______

             COUNTY MAGISTRATES' OFFICE
                                                      COURT HOUSES.
                      SATURDAY, NOV. 13

Present: - W. N. HODGSON, Esq., M.P. (chairman), REV. WILLIAM REES, THOS
BARNES, Esq., MAJOR FAIRTLOUGH, and JOS. ADDISON, Esq.

TWO UNNATURAL SONS

Robert HETHERINGTON, brazier, and Henry ROUTLEDGE HETHERINGTON, attorney's
clerk, were brought up under a warrant charged with committing a brutal
assault upon their father, Isaac HETHERINGTON, an old man 80 years of age,
whose left eye was nearly closed from a dangerous looking gash beneath it,
which had been inflicted by one of the defendants.
    The old man stated that on Tuesday morning (the 9th inst) the
defendants, who reside with him, came home about two o'clock.  He was in bed
up-stairs;  but hearing them making a disturbance below, he got out of bed
and came upon the stair-head.  They came up the stairs and then, as the old
man said "there was nothing but hammer and tongs," without saying a word
they both assaulted him, striking him very severely.  They were both tipsy.

THE CHAIRMAN inquired of the complainanat where his wife was when the
defendants came in.
COMPLAINANT said she was making their suppers ready.
MR. REES - Did they strike you down?
COMPLAINANT-Certainly they knocked me down.
THE CHAIRMAN-Did any person come to your assistance?
COMPLAINANT-Yes;  James DIXON

JAMES DIXON, pattern-maker, was examined.  He said he occupied rooms in the
same house that complainant resided in.  On Tuesday norning, about two
o'clock, his wife called him up, as defendants were abusing their father.
When he came where they were, he saw Henry striking his father with his
hands, and Robert was striking him with the barrel of what appeared to be a
kind of horse pistol.
    The cut under the old man's eye was produced by a blow from the barrel.
After he (witness) got possession of the pistol barrel Henry called out to
Robert not to strike his father.  Witness did not believe that Henry would
injure his father much;  did not see him strike his father more than once.
THE CHAIRMAN-Have you ever seen them assault him before:
WITNESS-Yes
THE CHAIRMAN-Violently?
WITNESS-Yes
THE CHAIRMAN-I think you said the other day you were afraid something
serious would happen?
WITNESS-Yes;  with Robert
THE CHAIRMAN-Did Henry ever make any distrubance before this tiime?
WITNESS-Yes;  not with his hands but with his tongue.

THE CHAIRMAN-Have you anything to say in defence?

Robert stated that on Monday he was at Stockdale's in Peascod Lane, buying
some pewter.  Stockdale informed him that his brother (one named William)
had been there selling a clock, which he had taken out of the house.  He
(Robert) and the other defendant had been at the Theatre on the Sands.  When
they got home he felt so vexed at his brother William having taken the clock
out of the house, that Henry and he attempted to turn him out of the house.
The old man came on to the stair-head and interfered.  He (Robert) denied
that he had struck him with the pistol barrel.

Dixon said he saw him do it;  and he (Dixon) had the barrel in his
possession.  It was 12 inches long.

Defendant said the pistol barrel was merely for the purpose of forcing the
door open and getting the scoundrel (William) out.  There would have been
more mark than there was if he had struck the old man with it.
THE CHAIRMAN-You did strike him.
DEFENDANT-Neither Henry nor I used it.
THE CHAIRMAN said that the old man had the mark of the pistol barrel upon
his face then. This was one of the most disgraceful cases of assault that
had ever come before that Court.  It was a most brutal thing for two sons to
go home and assault their own father as they had done.
ROBERT-You would be astonished----
THE CHAIRMAN-I am astonished that you should be in the situation you are.
It is a most disgraceful thing that an old man nearly 80 years of age should
be struck in this way by his own sons.  The sentence of the Court is, that
you keep the peace for twelve months, yourselves in £20, and two sureties in
the same amount.  You will stand committed till security is given.
    The defendants then sat down.
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