Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 03 February 1893
A Beastly Fellow
James Dempsey, pit sinker, New Conisborough, was charged in custody with attempted rape on a girl named Mary Lawrence, of New Conisborough, on January 20th.
Mr. Baddeley defended.
Mary Lawrence, daughter of Elizabeth Lawrence, said she lived with her mother at 22 Tickhill St, New Denaby, as a servant to John Sanders. A week on Friday, January 20, she was there at night, and Mrs Saunders had gone to visit her daughter. There was a lodger there called Oliver Duxbury, and he went to bed about 8 o’clock and she went to bed about midnight. Her sleeping room was upstairs on the right-hand side of the staircase. She left downstairs Mr Sanders, who was asleep on the sofa – he had had some beer – George Price, or “Cheshire,” and Dempsey.
Mr and Mrs. Sanders slept in the next bedroom to hers, and she had to go through their room to go to her bedroom. There was no one in that room when she went to bed. Some time after she had gone to bed, having taken the precaution of locking the door, someone came to the door and burst it open – the lock was not a safe one. The prisoner it was who opened the door, and the time was about 12.30. Prisoner said, “Are you asleep?” She replied, “Yes I am just dozing off.” He then committed the offence. She screamed, and he told her to be quiet, and would give her a crown not to tell anyone. She heard the kitchen door open, and Dempsey went to his own room, where he slept with three other lodgers. After they were all gone to bed she got up and dressed and went downstairs, and stop there till nearly 4 o’clock. She told the occurrence to her mother next day, and Doctor Twigg afterwards examined her.
Cross-examined: She waited an hour after the current before she went downstairs. Mr Saunders had come to bed whilst she was asleep after this and before she came downstairs. The first man she told about it was a lodger name Everton, and it was at 7 o’clock next morning. He came in from his work and asked for Dempsey, she told him she did not know where he was and didn’t care. He said “What’s the matter?” And she then told him. She told her mother about 11 o’clock in the morning. She told Mrs Myers the same day. She got breakfast ready for Dempsey, Duxbury and Price on Saturday morning and said nothing then. She sent George Price to tell Mr Sanders about it.
George Price, pit sinker, said he lived at the same house. He said that on the day named he came from work about 10.40 on Friday in question. Sanders was asleep on the sofa, Dempsey was seated by the fire, Duxbury was in bed upstairs. He saw the girl go upstairs to bed and then he went out of doors. When he came in he had someone say, “Give over! Give over!” And then he heard footsteps of open standards room, and afterwards he heard Dempsey talk to Duxbury. He went to bed a few minutes after with Sanders.
Cross-examined: He had been outside about two minutes after having supper. When he went outside left Dempsey sitting by the fire with his boots on. When he came back the boats under the table. He did not go more than 5 yards away from the back door and the girl’s bedroom overlooked the backyard. He did not hear any screaming.
Oliver Duxbury, pit sinker, lodging at Sanders, said he had gone to bed at 9.45 and the Friday night, and went to work at four next morning. He had not left his room between those hours.
Doctor Twigg (Mexborough), said he had examined the girl on Sunday, and found traces of an assault.
Prisoner was committed for trial to the Assizes.