Mexborough and Swinton Times October 13, 1906

Brutal Attack at Conisborough
Father’s Assault Upon His Five Year Old Son
A Lenient Punishment

Before Mr WJ Huntriss (in the chair), and Mr JW Hodgson, at Doncaster West Riding Police Court, on Thursday, John Brown, filler, New Conisborough, was brought up on remand; charged with having unlawfully wounded his five-year-old son, John Thomas, on 8 October. The case was of a brutal nature.

The first witness was James Brown, aged 10 years, a son of the prisoner. He said he resided with his father at 21 Warmsworth St, New Conisborough. He had a brother who was five years old. His mother died five weeks ago.

On the Monday morning in question, is father got up early and went out of the house, leaving witness, his brother and a girl in the house, the girl being 20 years of age. Whether the girl slept there all night he could not say. You remember breakfast time, but he could not eat the bread because it was sad. He went with his younger brother to look for is father, and found him in the generally Main Hotel, at about 8.35 a.m. Witness told him he could not eat the bread for his breakfast, and showed prisoner a piece which he had in his hand. It is father took the bread and threw it down; he then took witness and his brother back home.

Witness then asked his father if he could boil two eggs for him and his brother, and his father said, “Yes.” He therefore put an iron saucepan on the fire, with two eggs in it. His father was away about five minutes, and on returning he locked the doors, without saying anything, and put the blinds up to the window, which prevented people seeing through into the house. Witness and his brother were in the back kitchen. His father came into the kitchen and struck him a blow on the head with the saucepan.. The blow knocked the witness down, and then prisoners stoop down and kissed him, and said; “God bless you.” He then went and struck his brother, John Thomas, on the forehead with the handle of the saucepan, the body having broken off. Is brother fell to the floor, and his head was bleeding. He then asked his father not to strike them anymore and he said, “No, I will not.”

His father then unlocked the door, and witness ran out of the house and went to Mrs Marriott, who lived in Blythe Street. He told her what had happened. Mrs Marriott told him to go and tell a policeman, and he did so. Last Thursday is father threatened to “Cut their heads off,” and he also said, “I will swing for you to.” Witness had not done anything to cause his father to strike him, and when the threats were made his father was not drunk.

Sarah Jane Marriot said she lived at 63 Blythe Street, and the latter died about a month ago. The prisoner had had a girl to look after the house since his wife died. Last Monday morning Brown kicked two witnesses house at about 8 o’clock. He was drunk. He said: “I am stalled of living.” He then left. Soon after 9 o’clock the boy, James Brown came to her house, and from what he said she proceeded to prisoner’s house, she saw him sat on a chair in the living room, with the youngest boy on his knee. She saw a large cut in the boy’s head, which was bleeding. She then said, “Oh, good God, Jack, what as tha done to bairn’s head?” And prisoner replied “He has fallen.” She took the child to her house, bathed the wound and attended to him. Dr Covey came to the house and stitched up the injury.

Dr Covey, New Conisborough, deposed that he saw the boy, John Thomas Brown, in Blythe Street, New Conisborough, at about 10 o’clock on the date in question. He examined him and found a wound about 2 inches long, on his forehead, which extended to the bone. He put six stitches in the wound. At that time the boy’s life was in danger, but he thought it was now quite safe. The room could easily have been inflicted by a fall, or, on the other and, by the saucepan handle (produced).

PC Thomas Henry Cousins, stationed at New Conisborough, said that from information received last Monday about 9:45 am he went to the house 21 Wadworth Street. When he arrived there was no one in. He afterwards met prisoner in the street, who said, “I don’t know what I was thinking about. I went over to the ‘boozer’and when we got into the house I struck the big lad and then the little one.” At that time witness never said anything to prisoner about the assault. They went to the house of Mrs Marriott’s when he saw the boy. John Thomas, who was sitting in a chair with a bandage on his forehead. He took off the bandage, and saw the wound, and thinking it was seriously sent for the doctor. He charged Brown with having unlawfully wounded his son, by striking him upon the forehead. He replied: “I am very sorry it has happened. It was with them (meaning the children) coming to me at the ‘boozer’ and saying they could not eat the bread.” He then took the prisoner to the police station.

Prisoner was formally charged, and asked if he had anything to say; he replied that he was very sorry it had happened, he would never do it any more.

The Chairman, addressing prisoner, said he was very fortunate that he was not there on a much more serious charge. Considering that his wife had died a month ago, it was his duty to look after the children in a proper manner. The Bench could do nothing less than commit him to jail for three months with hard labour.