Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 18 September 1911
“Contemptible Trick.”
“If this charge is proved I think you will agree that, apart from its danger, it is a dirty and contemptible trick to get a fellow worker into trouble.”
“In these words Mr. Allen referred to a charge brought against. George Powell. pony driver, of Denaby, for having taken a match down the mine.
“Mr. Allen called evidence to substantiate the allegation that Powell took a match down the mine to put it in the pocket of the coat of another youth named Johnny Butler, and then go and report Butler for the offence. Unfortunately for Powell, he made a mistake and put the match in the pocket of a coat of a boy named Taylor. Powell had told a witness that he had a grudge against Butler.
“Only a few weeks before Powell had been convicted of stealing Butler’s coat. The defendant denied taking the match down the mine and said he saw Taylor take two down behind his ear. He did not know that Butler was not working that shift, but at the time he said the match was in Butler’s coat because he had a grudge against Butler.
The Chairman (Mr. J. C. Coulman) said the dangerous practice of taking matches down the mine would have to stop and defendant would fined 40s. inclusive.