Mexborough, Swinton Times, September 27.
Neighbours Fight at Conisborough.
Arising out of the same circumstances as those detailed in the last case was another in which Elizabeth Wallace of 36 Edlington Street, summoned Benjamin Armstrong and Sarah Armstrong, alias Hamilton, for assault.
Mr Baddiley appeared for the complainant.
On September 2 the male defendant kicked in the back door of 36 Edlington Street, and broke the lock.
The complainant added that the defendant took hold of her by the throat, pulled her down to the floor, and struck her on the side. The female defendant, who was also there, pulled her waist off, and called the complainant bad names, pulled her hair and smacked her face. The complainant´s son, seven years of age, brought a small poker to her, and said “Hey mamma, hit them with this,” and she did hit them with a poker in self-defence.
The male defendant declared that the complainant threw a mixture of paraffin, oil, soot and slack coal in their faces.
Elizabeth Cumberland, Kate Callaghan, Florence Crookes and Mary Ann Wingfield, neighbours, gave evidence in support of the complainant’s case.
The male defendant was sworn, and he said the bother was the result of a bit of spite, arising out of some “sweet hearting business” between his son and the complainant’s daughter. He never struck the complainant, but she hit him with a poker
This witness saw the mixture of paraffin and soot thrown, and said some of it went on a young woman who was dressed in white.
Annie Barker also gave evidence on behalf of the defendant.
PC Barnett at the request of the Bench made a statement. He said he saw the defendants and several others in the Street. Armstrong was bleeding severely from the head, and the female defendant had also been assaulted. They were both very wet, and smelt strongly of paraffin. After a lot of trouble he got the street cleared.
Mrs Wallace sent for him, and he saw she appeared to have been assaulted.
The Chairman (Mr G.B.C.Yarborough) said the defendants had put themselves in the wrong by going into the complainant’s house. The presumption was, if they went in the house, that they assaulted the complainant first. No doubt, the defendants were struck afterwards, but they are both guilty of assault, and each would have to pay 20 shillings, including costs.