Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 21 December 1883
A Mexboro’ Furniture Broker Heavily Fined
John Millwood, furniture broker, Mexboro’, was fined 30s., including costs, for assaulting a married woman named Jane Shepherd, of Conisboro’.
The complainant’s story was as follows: He struck me and ill-used me in my own house last Monday week, the 3rd December. We had bought some things from his shop at Mexboro’, and I had to pay so much per week in return. I had paid 5s., but could not pay more, thinking the miners were going to strike. He came and asked me if I had any money. I said, “No, you had better take the things back; we cannot afford to pay for them.” They had to cost £2 19s. altogether.
I was “doing up” the kitchen when he came in, and I said I would go upstairs and fetch the things for him. He said if I did not look sharp he would fetch them. I said I didn’t allow a man like that up my stairs. I fetched the goods and gave them to him. He took them and put them in a cart. I have a chair, which I bought at Swinton, and he said he should take that away for his expenses. I had a baby in my arms, but I prevented him taking the chair. He knocked me on the sofa and abused me shamefully.
On behalf of the defendant it was denied that the complainant was assaulted, and it was said she was very “saucy.” Lord Auckland, however, in imposing the penalty named above, said the Bench were of opinion that Millwood had acted illegally, and had behaved with a great deal more violence than he should have done.