Genealogy Chat

The Times Thursday June 1st 1854 Welch (An Infant) V. Keane. Mr. Serjeant Shee and Mr. J. Browne appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Petersdorff for the defendant. This was an action brought by the plaintiff, a girl only 16 years old, to recover damages for an assault of a most brutal and aggravated nature, committed upon her by the defendant, who resided at Loughton, in Essex and was described by the witnesses as a gentleman of fortune and a Captain in the army. It appeared from the evidence that on the day in question the plaintiff, who had been for some time cohabiting with the defendant, went into the house of a Mrs Hutt, a laundress, at Loughton, in great distress. She appeared to have been dragged about by her hair. She had wounds, as if caused by kicks on her face and body; her teeth were loosened, and she was covered all over with stripes apparently given by with a whip. As surgeon was called in and by his directions she remained in bed for a fortnight, in much pain. The defendant, when accused of having been the author of these injuries, so far from denying the fact, expressed his intention “to do for her yet,” saying at the same time that the plaintiff had been unfaithful to him. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff – damages £100. -------------- I've looked on the 1851 census page for Sarah Hutt (Hull on the census) and I can't find Captain Keane as a neighbour, but I'd love to find out what happened to this low-life. Hopefully he met a grisly end in the Crimea.

My ancestor Sarah Hutt was a widowed launderess in Loughton, Essex when she became involved in the following incident.