A boy who witnessed his father assault his mother went out and found a policeman, leading to the arrest of his father and conviction for manslaughter.
On the evening of 9th June 1866 Stephen Carney returned to his Cumberland Street home in a state of drunkenness. The 36 year old then sent his fifteen year son out to get some tobacco, which he began to cut up with a knife after he returned.
Whilst cutting the tobacco Carney got into an argument with his wife Mary and struck her on the forehead. This caused a wound as he had the knife in his hand when he did so. His son, also called Stephen, then went out and found a policeman who took Carney into custody.
A few days later Mary died after erysipelas set into the wound, but the surgeon who carried out the post mortem determined that her constitution was weak due to 'indulgence in intemperate habits.' This led to Carney receiving a sentence of just six months imprisonment with hard labour after being found guilty of manslaughter.
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