Domestic Troubles – Conisboro Man’s Strange Suicide Attempt

November 1929

Mexborough and Swinton Times November 15, 1929

Domestic Troubles
Conisboro Man’s Strange Suicide Attempt.
Dive Under Van.

In a case at Doncaster on Wednesday in which Arthur Murgatroyd (26), dataller, of Don View, Conisborough, was bound over for attempting to commit suicide by throwing himself under a motor van, it was stated one of the reasons for the man’s act was trouble over his 19-year-old wife’s hat. Murgatroyd’s wife said they had been married two months.

Inspector Redfern said that on the afternoon of Sunday, November 10th, Arthur Taylor, baker, of Butterbusk, was driving a, motor van along Doncaster Road, Conisborough at 20 miles an hour and about 3 feet from the kerb. He saw Murgatroyd on the edge of the pavement. When the van was about three yards away Murgatroyd threw himself in front of it. The driver tried to avoid him. When he stopped he found Murgatroyd on his back in the road. He took him to the Denaby Fullerton Hospital.

When seen by the police, Murgatroyd said he did not know what he was doing, and the driver was not to blame. “It is caused through the missus losing her hat,” he then added.

Murgatroyd’s wife, whose age is 19, said they had been married two months. She was willing to take her husband back and there was a home for them at her parents’ house in Glasshouse Lane, Mexborough, if he promised to improve.

Witness missed her hat on Sunday afternoon and she accused her husband of hiding it. There had been other trouble during the two months they had been married, mainly about her husband and work. Murgatroyd told the magistrates that he had a lot of trouble on his mind, and promised not to repeat his act if given another chance. He would attend regularly to his work at Maltby Colliery.

It was stated that prisoner’s wife had been in hospital.

Prisoner’s father said he had tried his best with the young man but troubles seemed to come one after the other. It was thought that when his son married he would alter.

Witness alleged that his son “worked when he cared” and wanted all his money to spend. He had received nothing for his son’s keep through the 1926 dispute, and witness took him back home four times after he reached 21.

A few months ago his son was involved in a motor mishap between Adwick-on-Dearne and Bolton, which, said witness, was a mysterious affair. His son was in Mexboro’ hospital for some days

In answer to the magistrates, witness said he turned his son out for upsetting the home and because he would not work. He had been on his hands repeatedly since 1921. Sometimes, witness alleged, his son appeared to have fits, and when they occurred it needed somebody to control him. Once or twice this task had been beyond witness’s strength. The trouble began when his son was between 18 and 19.

Prisoner was warned by the magistrates that he was liable to six months’ imprisonment, but they added that in view of his promise to do better they would bind him over.