Sheffield Independent – Monday 17 June 1889
Cowardly Assault on a Woman.
Robert Purdy, of Conisbro’, was, on Saturday, at Doncaster, charged with having assaulted Clara Hurton, a married woman.
The complainant said she saw her husband knocked down and assaulted by the defendant and several other men, and she ran to him to pick him up. Because she did that the defendant gave her two blows in the eyes, one blacking an eye, and the other cutting her lip. She had to go to Dr. Hills on account of it.
The defendant denied that he struck the woman until she hit him. He also denied having interfered with the husband. He said the woman threw ” a bucket of j water ” over him, and got the poker, and challenged him to go on her doorstep. But he was not such a fool ! (Laughter.)
Other evidence was called, and a line of 20s. and costs was imposed.