Brutal Assault at Conisborough

John Glenn, a collier, of New Conisbrough, was summoned for having committed a brutal assault upon Charlotte Wilson, also of Conisbrough on 20 January.

The complainant stated that on the day in question the defendant came to her house, and she ordered him out and he refused to go. She then said she would go and fetch someone who would help him, whereat he struck her and said he would kill her. A friend of hers, Mr Oakley, then came in and asked him to go down the street with him, and told him he ought to be ashamed of himself to come and make a disturbance there.

Defendant then set upon Oakley, and getting him down upon the floor he used him shamefully. He then struck the complainant again between the eyes. After the row had subsided, and complainant was in the house, he came by and through to large stones through the window, and smashed two panes of glass valued at 5s 6d.

By Mr Baddiley, (who defended): She would swear that she saw the defendant pass the window twice after the damage was done. He had not often come to her house. Oakley did not commence quarrelling with him when he came in. Oakley said that he was the boss there because Glenn thought he could do as he liked. They went outside and began to fight and she used a weapon to defend herself. Her husband did not assault her when he came home that night, but her husband had given her a couple of black eyes at Christmas time.

Elizabeth Peters stated that on the date in question the defendant came into Mrs Wilson’s house. She was a friend of the children. Mrs Wilson told the defendant to go out when he came in, and he struck her with his fist. Mr Oakley then came in, and asked him to go up the road with him, and he struck Oakley, and they both went outside to fight it out.

Mrs Wilson followed, and Glenn struck her again between the eyes, making her nose bleed. She was inside the house when the window smashed.

By Mr Baddiley, this occurred at about 10:15. She went to the house frequently. She had been talking to Mrs Wilson about the case. Mrs Wilson had not told her what she was to say to the magistrates except to speak the truth. Her mother had not said that if she did not say what Mrs Wilson told she would break her jaw. She did not see Mrs Wilson use the poker, at least she never noticed her to do so. She did not know what Mrs Wilson did when she went outside.

James Oakley said he was going down the street at about 10:15 on Monday night, and he heard a row at Mr Wilson’s house, and he proceeded thither. Mrs Wilson was ordering the defendant out, as yet something in hand which she was going to throw at him, and he went in and asked him to go the road with him, and said that he should be ashamed of himself for causing a disturbance at that house. Defendant then asked witness if you go and be a witness for him, and receiving a reply the negative he struck witness on the nose, and they went outside where witness was forced to fight.

By the bench: When he went in to see her, her nose was bleeding. He did not see defendant strike her outside. He was in the house with the master, when the stones came through the window.

By Mr Baddiley: he did not do anything to his wife when he came home that night, and he did not find fault with the. He admitted giving her two black eyes in Christmas week.

The Bench here intimated that they did not think the charge of wilful damage had been substantiated.

James Foxon said he lived very near the Wilsons, in fact is backyard aborted onto theirs. He deposed that on Monday night at about quarter or 10:20, he was getting his supper when he heard the disturbance. He went out and Glenn was standing in the road. He was talking to him and Mrs Wilson rushed out and deliberately hit him (defendant) three times on the side of the head, and defendant was obliged to put his hand up to defend himself from her attack. The weapon she used was a piece of brass tube which had been used as a poker. Witness took this from the complainant, saying she would be killing the defendant if she went on like that. He was sure nose was not bleeding then, in fact it was perfectly free from blood. He did not see anybody else hit her either.

James Gordon corroborated the evidence of Foxon, and said that complainant had been assaulted by her husband. He said he was there when Wilson came home, and he said to his wife, “You have been up to your d—– games again,” and he commenced punching her, and knocked her right through the door, and would not let her come in again.

Similar evidence was thus given by Thomas Stonehouse and John Lawrence, also said that the complainant did not bleed from the nose when the row with Glenn was on.

The complainant then vehemently refuted it.

PC Jarvis stated that he was caught to the spot, and saw the complainant bleeding a good while before her husband came home. He would swear to this.

The Chairman said there had been some of the most horrible perjury it was possible to imagine, and the Bench thought it was not a case that could be met by a fine, and they committed him to prison for one month and pay the costs or in default extra 10 days.