An argument between a husband and wife in Edwardian Liverpool led to their five month baby being killed when she was struck by an object her father had thrown.
On the evening of Saturday 2nd February 1907 28 year old labourer Michael McDonough, his wife and mother in law, who lived at 57 China Street (off Netherfield Road) visited the Cole family, who occupied the cellar of that property. After spending an hour there drinking they returned to their own rooms.
At about 1030pm Mr and Mrs McDonough began arguing and throwing crockery at each other. Michael threw an iron bar at his wife but instead it hit the back of the head of their five month old daughter Elizabeth, who was being held in the arms of Mrs McDonough. She took the baby girl to the East Dispensary but Dr Crampton there pronounced life extinct.
The following morning Michael was arrested and on the Monday he was charged with murder and appeared at the magistrates court, where he denied the charge and was remanded in custody. He was then brought before the Liverpool Assizes on 23rd February, where the charge was reduced to manslaughter. Despite acknowledging that he was drunk and had intended to hit his wife with the bar, he was sentenced to just four months imprisonment with hard labour.
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