Violent Assault over Pigsty

August 1877

Mexborough & Swinton Times, August 3 1877

Violent assault at Denaby Main

Thomas Kirk, Denaby was charged by Ezekiel Haywood of Denaby with assaulting him at that place on the 26 inst.

Mr F Parker Rhodes prosecuted and Mr Packwood defended – The parties are employed at Denaby Main Colliery company and occupy cottages belonging to the owners of that pit.

There is a pigsty near to the cottage occupied by the complainant, and he, the defendant, and a man named Brammer were desirous of obtaining the privilege of using it. Mr. Warburton, the manager of the colliery, gave the privilege to the complainant, and he was about to repair the place when defendant came up and attempt to prise off certain boards with a Collier’s pick.

The complainant told him to desist, whereupon the defendant struck him a violent blow over the forehead with the centre of the pick and inflicted an incised wound, from which the complainant lost more than a pint of blood – the defence was that the complainant was accidentally injured, he having caught hold of one end of the pick with such force that it sent the other end into his forehead.

Fined 40 shillings and costs or one month´s imprisonment.