A Conflict of Evidence

John Gaffney, miner, Conisborough, and Fanny Follow, widow, Conisborough, were charged with being drunk and disorderly at Conisborough on July 13th.

Police-constable Trueman said he saw a crowd near the widow’s house on the night in question and saw her throwing ornaments out of the window. The man Gaffney, who was in the street, was very drunk. He was foaming at the mouth and appeared to be mad drunk.

The constable’s evidence was corroborated, but the defendant Gaffney denied that he was drunk and called Georgina Higgins, who said that she could not see Gaffney was drunk on the night in question. She saw him getting very excited, but he was not drunk.

The defendant, Mrs. Follow, said Gaffney was not drunk, but she did not know whether she was drunk herself or not. She went on to say that on the previous night there had been a crowd of 300 people watching a policeman who was drunk.

The Chairman said that if the defendant Follow had any complaint to make she must make it in the proper quarter.

The male defendant was discharged and the woman was fined 5s. and costs.