Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 08 February 1913
Barman’s Alleged Assault
Rowdy Scene at Conisboro’
Fingers Bitten
A story of a fracas at Conisboro’ was unfolded when John Raynor, barman, Conisboro’, was summoned by John Wm. Thomas, also of Conisboro’, with assaulting him on Jan. 31st.
Complainant said that he was walking in Conisboro’, by the police station, on Jan. 31st, at 10.15 p.m., when he met a lot of men at the corner. Raynor was one of the men, and he asked witness who had bitten a friend of his in a row that there had been.
He then rushed at witness, hitting him on the face, in the eye, and also kicking him in the abdomen. He remembered no more until he recovered consciousness in a neighbouring shop.
The following morning witness went to the doctor, and later on he went to see the defendant. He said to him, “What do you know about this bother?” Defendant said he knew nothing of the matter.
Witness then told him that it was he who had blacked his eye. Defendant replied, “You’re a liar,” and added that unless the witness left the house he would kick him out. Witness told him that he should take proceedings against him, and defendant replied, “That will just suit me.”
Later on in the day someone came down and offered him a sovereign to give up the case. Witness was unaware that someone named Creighton had been bitten by a friend of his.
Elizabeth Barker said that she spent the evening with the complainant in the Eagle and Child. When they passed the police station corner the defendant came to them and struck the complainant.
He also struck at witness, but he ran away. Elizabeth Rayner heard some men outside her shop swearing at each other. One of them, whom she did not know, came out of the crowd and knocked the complainant down, afterwards kicking him as he lay on the floor.
They then ran away, and witness took the complainant into her shop. Mrs. Thomas, mother of the complainant, said her son came in staggering. His eye was closed.
Mr. Frank Allen, for the defendant, said that the complainant must have made a mistake, as the defendant had not struck him at all. The defendant gave evidence on oath, and said that he was the son of the landlord of the Eagle and Child, and helped in the bar.
On the date of the assault another took place in the yard of the hotel, but witness took no part in it. After the disturbance a man named Creighton came to him and showed him a finger, which was badly bitten. Later on he and some others went to the police station.
He was standing with a man called Hinchliffe when the assault took place, and had nothing to do with it. He denied that he offered the complainant a sovereign to hush the affair up.
Ernest Creighton said that whoever struck Thomas it was not the defendant, as witness was standing by his side. Charles Stone, Clara Seargerton, Wm. Hinchliffe, and others gave similar evidence.
A fine of 40s. and costs was inflicted. Defendant asked for leave to appeal, but it was pointed out to him that the fine inflicted was not large enough to enable him to do so.