Mexborough and Swinton Times July 29, 1905
A Denaby Assault Case
A Denaby contractor, name William Hilton, was summoned at the instance of Job Knowles for assaulting him at Denaby, on July 15.
Mr W Baddiley defended.
Complainant, an elderly man, said last Saturday night, the 15th since, about 730, he was in Doncaster Road Denaby, just outside his own house, and defendant was sat near his door a yard or two away. A discussion arose between them as to the breed of complainant’s dog, and then the defendant set on to the complainant. He knocked him down, kicked him under the eye, and in the back. He has been off work since and his eye was badly discoloured.
In answer, to Mr Badley, complainant said they were next door neighbours. He lived at 50 and the defendant at 48. He did not call defendant a “black sheep,” in fact the name was not mentioned. It was true that when the defendant struck him his wife ran out of the house with a poker. At that time they were both on the floor together when a policeman took the poker away from her.
Mrs Cox and Joseph Lumby, a travelling butcher, give similar evidence. They saw the defendant both strike and kick him.
For the defence Mr Badley said it was idle to suppose that a man will commit an assault for anything which the Bench had before the. Here there are two neighbours quietly talk about a dog, and then the complainant would have them believe that the defendant assaulted him without any rhyme or reason. The defendant would tell them that the complainant called him a “black sheep” and that they had a tussle and fell to the ground.
The defendant was sworn, and he said he lived at 48 Doncaster Road. He bought out Mr Baddiley’s statement, and said the complainant’s wife hit him with the poker. He never kicked the man at all.
His wife and a man named Charles Lawley, and another witness, gave evidence, all being emphatic that the defendant never kicked the old man.
The Chairman said the Bench were satisfied, however, that an assault have been committed, and you would have to pay 5s and£1 12s costs.