Conisborough Young Men fined for Kissing and Annoying Railway Passengers

Mark James, Tom James, Morgan Davies and George Savage were charged with interfering with and annoying passengers on the M.S. and L. Railway on the 11^th inst.

Joseph Dugdale, railway Detective officer, of Sheffield, appeared in support of the case.

Elizabeth Harrison stated she lived with her parents at Rotherham. On Saturday, 11 January she was travelling from Doncaster to Rotherham by 11.15 train. Her “sweetheart” saw her off, and gave her a bottle of stout which she was going to take to her mother, and she put this in a corner of the carriage. When the train started there were nine altogether in the carriage, and the four defendants and others, who escaped, commenced to get noisy and quarrelling amongst themselves.

She went to look for a bottle of stout and found it had vanished, and one of the defendants took all of her, she could not identify which, and commenced to kiss and cuddle her, and a man who was in the carriage told her to come sit by him which she did, and when the train got into Conisborough Station she complained to the guard, and a policeman who was there took their names and addresses.

Henry Briggs, miner, of Mexborough, said he was travelling in the train, and got into that compartment in company with another man, and corroborated the complainant’s statement. When he told her to come and sit by him one of the defendants said: “Well, it does make a lot of difference,” and commenced kissing her again. Witness then told him to stop it, and defendant struck at him putting his elbow through the carriage window in the operation, and the fight followed, during which the witness was knocked on the floor and kicked severely on the head. When the train slowed up for Conisborough two of the men jumped out of the offside and got away.

By the Chairman: I was knocked down on the carriage floor and kicked severely on the head, getting a bump as big as my fist. I cannot swear which man did it.

PC Hurst said he was on duty in Conisborough station when the train arrived and the booking clerk called his attention to one of the compartments. One of the windows were smashed, and to all appearances there had been a regular fight. A complaint was made by the female about the conduct of the men, and he took their names and addresses.

Mark James said the young woman must’ve been drunk when she got into the carriage to judge by her conduct.

Fined £1 and 12s 6d costs each or 14 days in default.