Challenge over a woman's honour
On 5 April 1899, Frederick Lewington was tried at the Perth Supreme Court for wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Alexander Johnson. On the day in question Lewington had met Johnson at the house of a mutual acquaintance. Johnson’s wife, Harriet, had also been there. Johnson asked Lewington who had the best right to his wife, to which Lewington replied that Johnson had. Johnson then challenged Lewington to fight. Lewington then stabbed Johnson in the left shoulder with a knife, after which he was hospitalised for fifty-six days. Harriet Johnson testified that she had received money on various occasions from Frederick Lewington to help keep herself and her children. Lewington was sentenced to twelve months hard labour, the judge commenting that such cases of stabbing must be stopped.
This trial report is from The Daily NewsDownload from Trove
