Preece Family Tree

Events

Families

Pedigree

1. 1. Sarah
      1. Thomas Reed Botterell
         1. Elizabeth Ellen Botterell

Source References

1. Exeter Flying Post
   1. • Date: 28 November 1891
      • Page: Page 3
      • Citation:

        SHOCKING TREATMENT OF A WIFE IN EXETER.

        At the City Police Court on Tuesday - before Messrs. W. Buckingham (chairman), S. Jones, C. Westron, and J. Knapman - WILLIAM EDWARD SWEETLAND, 37, gardener, of 69, Hoopern-street, was charged on a warrant with assaulting, beating, and using threats of personal violence towards Elizabeth Ellen Sweetland, his wife, on the 21st inst. - Mr. W. L. Brown defended.

        The prosecutrix, who appeared in Court in a prostrate condition, and was allowed to be seated whilst giving her evidence, deposed that her husband served her very cruelly between three and four on Saturday morning. He caught her hold by the throat, and knocked her down on the floor of the kitchen. He also knocked her in the chest and pulled her about until she had no strength left in her. There was no struggle, but the prisoner swore at her very much. They had only come home about that time, and both after the row went to bed. At half-past seven witness got up, and then found that her face was marked and her eye swollen. Prosecutrix drew her husband's attention to this, and he then sprang out of bed, knocked her about, and acted very disgracefully towards her. Prisoner went out, and at half-past seven in the evening came home mad drunk. He took off his coat and waistcoat and walked up and down the kitchen. Witness asked him what the matter was, and he said, "I am master of this house. I will let you know you ----." He then dashed her about, giving her several blows. Prisoner prepared to go out. Witness asked him for some money. This took place upstairs, and prisoner said, "You will get no money from me." He then threw her on the bed and pulled her hair. He afterwards took the razor which he kept in the room and said, "I will cut your throat." Witness managed to go to the window to call a Mrs. Crocker, but that person did not hear her. Prisoner then knocked her in the stomach and she received several terrible bruises in her back. Prisoner eventually went out. Witness was afraid to live with him.

        By Mr. Knapman: Prisoner was tipsy when he came home at 4 o'clock on Saturday morning.

        Cross-examined by Mr. Brown: Her husband was in the Exeter fire brigade, a member of the Militia band, and also worked for his father, a gardener. They had been to a sergeants' ball the morning the prisoner first assaulted her, but she did not refuse to go home with him. Prisoner went home by himself, and a young man accompanied witness home. She denied being drunk. She did not abuse her husband. She did not take off her garments when she got home, and denied threatening to go out in the street in that state. She only took off her bodice to show her husband the bruises she had received, and threatened to go in the street if he assaulted her again.

        Mr. Buckingham here objected to Mr. Brown's method of putting questions.

        Mr. Brown: I am entitled to put my questions in such a manner as I think I shall elicit the truth.

        The Chairman: But not to put wrong instructions to her.

        At this point the prosecutrix began to weep, and Mr. Brown remarked that it was patent; it was all put on. He would say, "God help any man in a house with a woman of this sort."

        In further cross-examination prosecutrix denied being taken upstairs by her husband in consequence of her drunken condition. She stayed with him the two nights he assaulted her as she had no other place to go to.

        Emma Crocker, of 8, Hoopern-street, Charles Haywood, of 68, Hoopern-street, and Sarah Botterell, of Starcross, and mother of the prosecutrix, also gave evidence as to the severe bruises on Mrs. Sweetland's body.

        Mr. Brown, in defence, said he felt his client had been more sinned against than sinning.

        Band-Sergeant McDermott of the 4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment said the prisoner had played in the band for four years and conducted himself in a sober manner. He was not intoxicated on the morning in question.

        Superindentent Pett said the prisoner was one of the best men they had in the Fire Brigade.

        The Bench retired, and on coming into Court the Chairman said an assault with threats with the razor was sufficient to terrify anyone. The case was a serious one, and had been proved against prisoner. The Bench fined prisoner 20s and expenses, and bound him over in the sum of £10 to keep the peace for six months, or in default a fortnight's imprisonment.

2. Exeter and Plymouth Gazette
   1. • Date: 25 November 1891
      • Page: Page 5
      • Citation:

        WIFE ASSAULT IN EXETER.

        At the Exeter Police-court yesterday morning, before Mr. W. Buckingham (in the chair), Mr. S. Jones, Mr. J. Knapman, and Mr. C. Westron, William Edward Sweetland, gardener, of 69, Hoopern-street, was charged with assaulting his wife, Elizabeth Ellen Sweetland, on November 21st. - The complainant said her husband on Saturday morning, between 3 and 4 o'clock, cruelly ill-treated her. He knocked her down on the kitchen floor and also struck her violently in the chest. She was very weak and could not resist the prisoner's assaults. The same morning, about 8 o'clock, he threw her on the ground, and in the evening created another disturbance, pulling her hair. She asked her husband for mercy, and prisoner then took a razor and threatened to do for her. Owing to prisoner's violence she was in bodily fear of him. - In cross-examination by Mr. Brown, who defended, complainant said her husband was a member of the Exeter Fire Brigade and also in the Militia Band. They had both attended a sergeant's ball at the Higher Barracks, but she did not go home with him. A young man took her home. She was not drunk at the time, but prisoner was tipsy. She had not had anything to eat for three days. - Emma Crocker, 8, Hoopern-street, said she saw the complainant on Saturday and noticed several blows on the face. There were also bruises about the body. Witness did not hear the complainant scream during Saturday morning, but had heard screams previously. - Sarah Bottrell, mother of the complainant, and Charles Haywood, of 68, Hoopern-street, corroborated as to seeing bruises on Mrs. Sweetland's face. - For the defence Bandmaster McDermott said prisoner had been in the Militia Band for 16 years. He never had a better conducted man in the band. Witness saw complainant and her husband soon after 2 o'clock on Saturday morning, and they were both perfectly sober. - Superintendent Pett said Sweetland had been in the Exeter Fire Brigade since its formation, and was well conducted and sober. He was most punctual at drill and to be relied on. - The Bench thought the assault a serious one, and prisoner would be fined 20s and costs and bound over for six months to keep the peace towards his wife. The alternative would be 14 days' imprisonment with hard labour.

3. Western Times
   1. • Date: 25 November 1891
      • Page: Page 3
      • Citation:

        EXETER POLICE COURT.

        YESTERDAY. - Before Mr. W. Buckingham (in the chair), Mr. J. Knapman, Mr. S. L. Jones, and Mr. C. Westron.

        HUSBAND AND WIFE.

        William Henry Sweetland, gardener, of 19, Hoopern-street, was charged on a warrant with assaulting his wife Elizabeth on November 21st. - Mr. Brown appeared for defendant. - Complainant stated that about four o'clock on Saturday morning when she came home her husband swore at her and struck her violently. She appealed for mercy and defendant said he would let her know who was "master of the house." In the evening of the same day he again assaulted her, and, showing her a razor, said he would take her life. - Cross-examined: Defendant was a member of the Exeter Fire Brigade, and also played in the Militia Band. On Friday night she and her husband attended the sergeants' ball at the barracks. Defendant did not ask her to go home with him about two o'clock on Saturday morning. He came to her about three o'clock in the morning and said he was going home. She did not offer to go with him. She went home later accompanied by a young man. She was not the worse for liquor. She had had something to drink, but was not drunk. She knew what she was about. Her husband did not have to carry her upstairs. She had lived with her husband since the alleged assault. - Mrs. Crocker, of 8, Hoopern-street, deposed to seeing marks on complainant's face on Saturday morning. - Charles Heywood gave similar evidence. - Mr. Brown made an able defence denying the assault, and called John McDermott, conductor of the Militia Band, who deposed that defendant had been a member of the band for 14 years. Witness was at the ball on Friday last. He saw defendant about two o'clock on Saturday morning, and he was then perfectly sober. Defendant had been under him in the band for four years, and a better man he never wished to meet. Supt. Pett, of the City Fire Brigade, said defendant had been a member of the Brigade since its commencement. Sweetland was a reserve man and one of the best he had in the Brigade. He never saw him the worse for liquor, and he was very punctual at drill - Replying to the Bench, the Chief Constable said he knew nothing against the defendant. - After retiring, the Bench considered the case proved, and fined defendant 10s, and bound him over in the sum of £10 for six months.

4. Western Morning News
   1. • Date: 25 November 1891
      • Page: Page 6
      • Citation:

        WIFE ASSAULT AT EXETER.

        William Edward Sweetland, a gardener, was summoned at Exeter yesterday with assaulting and threating his wife. Prosecutrix was in a very weak state, and had to remain seated whilst giving her evidence. She said on Saturday morning her husband caught her by the throat and knocked her down on the floor of the kitchen. He also struck her in the chest and knocked her about until she had no strength left in her. On the following morning he came home mad drunk, and again ill-treated her, and also threatened to cut her throat. She was afraid to live with him. - In cross-examination by Mr. Brown, for the defence, witness said her husband and herself had been to a dance on the Saturday night, but she did not refuse to go home with him. He went away by himself and a young man accompanied her home. She denied being drunk and abusing the defendant, or that she took off her clothes and threatened to go out into the street in that state. - Mr. Brown submitted that his client was more sinned against than sinning. - Bandmaster McDermott, 4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment, and Superintendent Pett, of the Exeter Fire Brigade, both gave Sweetland a good character for sobriety. - The Bench considered the case a serious one, and fined defendent 20s. and costs, and bound him over to keep the peace for six months.

5. (Death unknown but obviously not living)