Wilful Damage at Conisborough

May 1905

Mexborough and Swinton Times May 27, 1905

Wilful Damage at Conisborough

Ernest Hayselden, Dataller, and Thomas Houlier, labourer and Arthur Blackburn, moulder, Conisborough, summoned at the instance of Mr William White Norwood, for damaging growing wheat at Conisborough on 13 May; And Horace Hayne, a Conisborough labourer was summoned for a similar offence committed on May 12.

Mr W Baddiley prosecuted.

PC Duff in stated at 530 on Saturday, the 13th inst., He was income with Mr W.W.Norwood in one of his fields at North Cliff, Conisborough, when he saw Houlier and Blackburn coming from the direction of Earnshaw Lane. They went over the field of growing corn trampling it down. They went into a grass field in which there was no footpath.

A little later at 6 am he saw Hayselden come from the opposite direction and he went first into a grass field and then into a cornfield and over the hedge. They stopped him and told him it would be reported. The damage was two shillings each.

With regard to the other defendant, pain, Thompson said at 5:30 PM on 12 inst., He was on duty in Earnshaw Lane, Conisborough, when he saw defendant in the cornfield trampling it down.

Mr Norwood, the owner said a great deal of damage had been caused to his growing crops, and it had occurred year after year. You are sorry to have to come there, but he would like the practice to be stopped.

The bench ordered Houllier to pay 5/6 costs, and the damage 2s, and the others 2/6 and costs 8s and damage at 2s.

The case against Houllier was not pressed, as it was pointed out that he had only been in the district a week, and had been and apologised.