Ex Official Charged with Theft – Echo of the Denaby Strike

September 1905

Mexborough and Swinton Times September 30, 1905

An Echo of the Denaby Strike
Ex Official Charged with Theft
One Way of keeping Accounts
A Question for the Sessions

The disastrous strike existed two years ago at Denaby which gained such notorious review was re-echoed in the Doncaster West Riding Police Court on Tuesday morning when James Casey, described as a miner of the Lancashire, but a former treasurer of the Cadeby Main Branch of the Yorkshire Miners Association, was charged in custody with having stolen, as beneficial owner, the sum of £15 belonging to Philip Humphreys and others on diverse dates between October and November 1903.

Mr W.J. Huntries was the chairman of the magistrates, who were Mr J Hodgson and Mr Carr.

Mr W Baddiley prosecuted and Mr GW Andrews defended.

In opening the case Mr Baddiley stated that when the warrant was issued he absconded and was only apprehended a few days ago at Leigh in Lancashire. It appeared that during the dispute at Denaby when their worships knew many men were out of work, prisoner was treasurer of the Cadeby branch of the Yorkshire Miners Association.

There was a meeting of Yorkshire miners on 1 January 1902, when a Central relief committee was formed and the Committee had the receiving and disbursing of all monies which came in from various sources throughout England, Scotland et cetera from miners who wish to assist those who were out of work. The monies, £15, in respect to which the prisoner was charged, were all sent by one colliery viz: Great Harwood in Lancashire. They sent 30 shillings per week and the prisoner, as treasurer of the Cadeby branch, was charged with stealing this money and failed to account for £15 of this money and therefore the Central Committee instituted these proceedings. The funds were sent by letter to the prisoner and he (Mr Baddiley) would produce the receipts which were sent back. These were the official receipts which were not signed, the names of the secretaries having been printed.

Fortunately in every case prisoner had enclosed a letter, and it would prove that they were received.

…..

After hearing evidence against the prisoner Mr Andrews submitted there was no case against the prisoner. He argued that the prosecution should have been brought by the Central Committee and not by these local committee men, who were not beneficial owners.

Mr Baddiley re-joined that it had been given in evidence that the matter had been forwarded to the local committee. It could not possibly have been the money of the Central Committee until it was accounted for to them.

Prisoner, who denied the charge, was committed to take his trial at the next Quarter Sessions at Wakefield. Bail was accepted at £50 and two sureties of £25 each

Yorkshire Telegraph and Star, October 21, 1905

Quarter Sessions

James Casey (34) was indicted for stealing £15 of which he was then one of the beneficial owners, at Conisbrough, on diverse days between August 1, 1903 and November 28, 1903.

The case arose out of the recent Denaby Colliery strike. For some years prisoner was treasurer of the Cadeby branch of the Yorkshire Miners Association and the Denaby strike was his duty to dig to receive subscriptions from other minors branches to the relief on, and it was alleged that he received £15 which he devoted to his own use.

Prisoner elected to give evidence on oath, and emphatically declared that he had never appropriated his own use a single father of the money received on behalf of the relief on.

It was true that he received a £15 from Great Harwood, but he paid the whole of it in relief. When eviction took place, the Cadeby Committee took some houses at Doncaster for some of the families, and he became responsible for the rent. He alleged that the warrant had been taken out through malice.

He was found not guilty and discharged