Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 28 July 1893
Note: (This is almost certainly the same James Dalton who, after a long record of offences, served two years’ imprisonment for robbery with violence and was the victim of a fatal attack at Conisborough in September 1906.)
A Violent Fellow at Denaby – Smashing Reresby Arms Windows
A miner named James Dalton was charged with assaulting the police and doing damage to windows to the amount of over £5 at the Reresby Arms, Denaby, and John Dalton, his younger brother, was summoned for resisting the police at the same time at Denaby, on Tuesday night last.
Mr. Hickmott prosecuted, and stated the facts of the case, and it also transpired that as the damage was over £5, prisoner James would have to take his trial on the charge of breaking the windows if proved. Mr. W. M. Gichard defended.
Wm. Biggs, 33, Annerley Buildings, Denaby Main, said on Tuesday last, July 18th, prisoner James was in the Reresby Arms between six and seven o’clock. He was sober and commenced to fight with a man. Witness ordered both to leave, and they went. Shortly after prisoner returned, he again ordered him out.
A few minutes after he had gone a brick came through the window in the room where he was sitting, smashing the pane to atoms.
Cross-examined: He did not know what the fight began over. He only supplied prisoner with one pint of beer, and did not know that prisoner was paying for beer for another man. He did not see where prisoner went after he went out of the house.
Morris Skuse, miner, Denaby Main, living across the road from the Reresby Arms, said that on the evening in question he saw the prisoner opposite the Reresby Arms with his coat and waistcoat off. He saw him pull some bricks out of a brick wall and said, “I shall not be like the — navvy. I shall make no mistakes.” He knew that last week a navvy was convicted for throwing a brick and damaging the woodwork of Slater’s window, and had gone to gaol in default.
Prisoner then threw a brick through a plate glass window. He saw him throw six bricks in all and break four windows. The gauze blinds behind the windows were also damaged by the bricks.
Cross-examined: He had not seen prisoner come out of the house. He first saw him running at a man to strike him. He did not go into the public-house after he saw him. He saw prisoner sit on the wall from which he took the brick. He sat there about half-an-hour before he began to throw the bricks. Witness had not seen anyone put his fingers to his nose at the window of the public-house. He saw the policemen take prisoner into custody.
He saw a young man try to get prisoner home. He had heard prisoner’s brother (John) say, “Don’t hurt him,” when the prisoner was being locked up. He had not heard Slater say, “It’s a foolish thing to talk to the constable or interfere with him.”
P.C. Midgley, of Denaby, said on the evening of the date in question he was sent for to the Reresby Arms and found a crowd of people around prisoner. He saw there were three plate glass windows of the public-house broken. Prisoner saw him looking and said, “I’m here. I’ve done it and I’ve made no — mistake. There’s no navvy here.”
Directly after he threw another brick, breaking the fourth window. He apprehended prisoner and took him into Slater’s house. He was very violent when apprehended, and on account of that he endeavoured to handcuff him.
He then saw the lad, John, come and say, “You shan’t take him,” and seized the handcuffs and witness’s arm. He had to struggle with him to free himself. When inside Slater’s house prisoner said, “I’ve done it.” Witness said, “What for?” and prisoner said, “I’ve done it, and I shall do it again. I shall only get six — weeks, and then I’ll do for you” (meaning Slater).
P.C. Carter was present. He sent for a waggonette and took the prisoner, Jas. Dalton, to Rawmarsh. He struggled, and refused for some time to go into the waggonette. In the struggle he bit witness on the inside of the arm and broke the skin. He had been under the care of Dr. Bythman, and was off duty two days.
Cross-examined: When he was taking the prisoner into custody the lad had not said, “Don’t hurt him.” The lad did not interfere with Carter. Carter had hold of James from behind, and he (witness) was in front. Slater spoke to the lad, and soon after the lad went away.
In the waggonette prisoner also bit his finger, and broke the waggonette. At Rotherham, the prisoner said he should not have thrown the bricks if someone had not put his fingers to his nose near the window.
P.C. Carter saw the fourth window broken, and heard prisoner say he had done it. When they had got him in Slater’s house, prisoner said he would do it again, and also do for Slater, the landlord.
When they were endeavouring to handcuff the prisoner the defendant John said, “You shan’t take him,” and resisted the police. James Dalton said, “Go in, Jack.”
Cross-examined: At Rotherham he had not heard him express his sorrow.
John Slater, the landlord, was outside when the police apprehended Jas. Dalton, and saw John take hold of the handcuffs and try and prevent Midgley putting them on. He said, “They shan’t take you.” John said, “Go on, Jack, don’t let him take me.” Witness said it was a foolish thing to do, and the lad soon after ceased to resist the police and went away.
Thos. Lister, plumber, Rotherham, said he had seen the four broken plate glass windows and the damaged wire blinds. The damage to both would be £6 altogether. The damage to the windows was £5 5s.
Mr. Gichard said that he had advised the prisoner and defendant to plead guilty with regard to the assault and resisting the police. He said there had been provocation to James Dalton or he would not have risen from a wall where he had been sat half-an-hour and gone and broken the windows. John was only 15 years old, and they could understand the feelings of a lad who saw his brother being taken into custody. The offence he committed was only technical, and not at all serious—he had done little in the shape of resistance, and when he had been urged to desist he did so, and did not further continue.
Major Hammond said James Dalton had previously been convicted 24 times at Doncaster, Pontefract, Chesterfield, and Rotherham. James Dalton, on February 4th last, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for assault on the police.
James Dalton was now sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for the assault, and John Dalton was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, with hard labour, for resisting the police. James Dalton was committed for trial on the charge of wilful damage to the windows.
After some delay, John Dalton was recalled, and the sentence altered to a fine of 20s. and costs, or a month.