Mexborough and Swinton Times, July 18.
Drunkards and fighters.
The Conisborough Feast Time.
These men have been summoned, and were thus punished for drunkenness:
Joseph Ross, glassblower, of Conisborough, 10 shillings fine and 12 6d costs.
Samuel, Edward and Joseph Giles, Colliers, of Denaby, the first and third, who did not appear, each 10 shillings fine and 12s 6d costs, the second 7s 6d and costs; and John Needham, sickle cutter of Conisborough, 10 shillings fine and 12s 6d costs.
Policemen Guylee and Harrington saw Ross on the night of Sunday, July 2 in the High Street, Conisborough, during the feast time, walking out of the Eagle and Child Inn, very drunk, and staggering against the folk, who had just left church.
John Barton, glassblower, of Conisborough, was defended by Mr Verity
On the same evening at half past nine, the same policeman, as alleged, saw him, a youth, coming out of the same public house in the same condition. He fell and lay on the stones, and then returned to the house, in which presently there was a disturbance that cause the police to enter; and they then viewed him in a room seated in front of pots and glasses, and at 10 o’clock they saw him turned out.
It came out that Guylee, had a chat with the landlord, Mr Smith, by whom he was accused of every evil deed, informing that nothing but the scum of the country went to his house.
Barton declared that all he had in the place was a split lemon, and that he was sober, and sat on the steps waiting for a friend, and wasn’t even accosted by the police; and John Callear of Denaby, a miner, who acted as waiter in the public house on this night, asserted that he only drank ginger beer and lemonade, and went away sober ere the police came, and a companion, Lodge also a glassblower, said that he even refused to shared a glass of beer.
The magistrates spent an hour in hearing the case, and though regarding it as suspicious, gave Barton the benefit of a doubt, and dismissed it.
Superintendent Sykes discovered that Mr Verity, was being employed by the landlord.
Grundy was seen by policeman Moore, on the afternoon of Sunday, being led out of the Eagle and Child his faced bleeding as though he had been fighting.
The Giles were taking part in the upstairs disturbance in the house, and renewed the fight out in the road.
Samuels wife attested for him and for Joseph, who is a boy, and informed the magistrates very decisively that they must be given them time to pay; and a fortnight was allowed.
Needham was in the Alma public house, Conisborough, on the afternoon of the feast Monday, lying in the front room, asleep and very drunk. Policeman Guylee discovered him, and woke him, and got him to totter home.
Charles Wood, blacksmith and Joseph Barlow, glassblowers, each of Conisborough, were said to have assaulted John Smith and Margaret Smith. Mr Smith keeps the Station Inn at Conisborough, and Miss Smith is his daughter. He told that on the previous Saturday night Wood and Barlow were with others in the tap room, and that when a dispute arose he turned them all out. Then there was a fight in the road, and when he further ordered the men away Wood hit him under the right eye and knocked him down and Barlow kicked him until he was insensible; and he had to be attended by a doctor.
The daughter screamed “Murder” when she saw her father attacked, and thereupon Barlow knocked her down, and kicked her, and bruised her side; and she had likewise been under the doctors care. Mrs Martha Mangham, an elderly woman dwelling in Wath, had seen the disturbance, corroborated the landlord and his daughter in their story.
Mr Verity had prosecuted. Mr Shirley Blackburne on behalf of the men told that they were provoked, and all that Barlow did to the girl was to give her a slap on the face when she hit him; and he asked the magistrates to be lenient.
The chairman said the case was serious, and ordered that Barlow should pay in all £3 10s. For the assault on Smith and£2 17 for that on the daughter and Wood £2 10s, a months imprisonment each in default.
William Bolton, labourer, with Joseph Barlow, the glassblower, young men, had taken part in the affray on the same night, at a 9:45. Sgt Morley, and found them in the middle of a crowd of about 100, stripped and fighting, and each with a face, covered with blood. He seized Bolton, and said to him “hello Bill! It’s you again.” And got him away, and another officer took charge of the second man. It was said that there had been half a dozen fights.
Mr Blackburn defended Bolton, who admitted his guilt; and he asked for leniency. The two had to pay the costs, and Bolton to be bound over to keep the peace.
Thomas Puffy had assaulted William Tomlinson, who had been summoned, but didn’t appear. The two are Colliers in Denaby. Tomlinson and a companion went to Conisborough on the Sunday night of the feast, and Puffy came to them, a stranger on the road, and struck them both, and knocked off Tomlinson’s hat which is lost.
His fine was 2s 6d, with 22s 6d costs
Mexborough and Swinton Times, August 11.
Drunken Folk
Mary Singleton, of Conisborough, married, about 40 years old, was told to pay five shillings fine and 25 shillings costs.
Mr A Moody, who keeps a beer house in the village, at 10 o’clock on the night July 26, saw and heard her in the high Street, outside his door, drunk and cursing loudly.
She was now very indignant in her protest of innocence, and accused the landlord of stealing a glass, and ripping from her head a bunch of hair which she pulled out of her pocket.
But George Cozens confirmed the landlord in this story.
Him she called a fibber, and her run of tongue caused much laughter in court.