Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 03 January 1902
A Denaby Miner charged with Manslaughter.
At Chesterfield on Thursday. Robert Parry, alias Robert Lewis, known in the town as “Little Tim,” was brought before Dr. George Booth and Messrs. Naylor and Hasbro, charged with the manslaughter of John Straw, on December 21st.
The prisoner is a miner, apparently about 40 years of age, whose parents live at Denaby Main.
Head Constable Kilpatrick said that John Straw, the deceased, was a miner, and very well known in the town. He lodged for 21 years with a man named Bridget, in Parker’s Yard. The prisoner was also a miner, and lodged at 5, Back Station, Beck Lane. Two years ago the deceased and the prisoner lodged at the same house, and were then companions. As far as the police could ascertain there was no bad blood between them.
On the 21st December the deceased went into Mr. Lamb’s butcher’s shop in Burlington Street and asked for tripe. The prisoner came into the shop and asked for two pennyworth of bits.” Straw said, “You’d better have five pennyworth, and the prisoner said, ‘You’re a —— fool.” Straw thereupon said, ‘II show you whether I’m a —— fool or not,” and backed out of the shop into the middle of Burlington Street where he assumed a fighting attitude. The prisoner, followed, rushed at Straw, and striking him under the jaw, felled him to the ground. Straw dropped with his head on the ground, and was rendered unconscious. He was taken to his lodgings, and remained there in an unconscious condition till Tuesday, when he was seen by Dr. Robinson, who recommended his removal to the Hospital, where he died on the Friday, and at the inquest a verdict of “Manslaughter” was returned against “Little Tim.”
On Modem Eve “Little Tim” left his lodgings and went to his parents’ house at Denaby Main. He was not then aware, said the Head Constable, that Straw was ill, and when apprehended be said he was not aware the prisoner was poorly or he should have gone to see him. The first news he got of the death of Straw was while he was at Denaby Main.
Inspector Fennimore proved receiving the prisoner from the Doncaster police on New Year’s Day. He said, “I didn’t know there was anything the matter with him till last night, when the police at Conieboro’ told me he was dead. If I’d known there was anything the matter with him I should have gone and seen him. He tantalised me in the middle of the road, and wanted to fight and I hit him.”
Margaret Lorne, Mrs Bridget’s sister said she tried to rouse the deceased on Sunday for his dinner, and the deceased swore at her.
The primmer said. “I am sorry it happened. It happened in self-defence. We had both had some beer.”
The Bench committed the accused for trial at the next Assizes.