Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 15 April 1911
Lodger’s Violent Assault at Conisboro’
Thomas Sharratt, dataller, of 46 Balby St, New Conisbrough, had a card party in his house on the night of Saturday, March 25. Everything went smoothly to Mrs Sharratt, at 1 o’clock on Sunday morning expressed a desire to join in the game.
James Killgannon, a lodger, objected to the landlady having a hand, and there was trouble.
The landlord stood up for his wife’s rights, and Killgannon broke his jaw. As a result of the card party, James Killgannon, miner, was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on the aforementioned Thomas Sharratt.
Sharratt told the Court that he knew the prisoner, who had been lodging with him for about three months. About 1 o’clock in the morning of March 26, he was playing at dominoes in the kitchen with the prisoner, Michael Machale, Katherine Cairns (the servant girl), and others. After they have been playing for a while, Mrs Sharratt wished to join in the game, and Killgannon objected. He said that one of the lodgers who wanted to play should have preference over the landlady and that she should not play till they had finished.
Mrs Sharatt was somewhat ruffled and thereupon picked up the dominoes and threw them into the fire. Killgannon swore at Mrs Sharratt, and witness said he couldn’t allow that kind of thing in his house. Killgannon continued using bad language for a few minutes. Witness got the poker to start a fire up, and Mrs Sharratt snatched it from him – he could not say what for what. Prisoner kept swearing, and was told he would have to leave the house if he didn’t behave himself. Eventually, prisoner squared for a fight, and knocked witness out of the chair with his clenched fist. The table was between them. Witness sustained a broken jaw, which pained him. The blow knocked him senseless, and he remembered nothing more till the doctor had bandaged him. He was still under the doctor’s care. There had been no previous quarrel between them.
Prisoner: Didn’t you lean across the table, spit in your hands, strike me, and said that you could soon ”out” mean? – Witness: No.
Patrick O’Neill 47, Edlington Street, New Conisbrough, told the Court he was card playing at Sharratts on the night of March 25th. He stopped all night. Mrs Sharon wanted to play but Killgannon wouldn’t allow her. She threw the dominoes into the fire and Killgannon said “you shouldn’t do that.” He used “one of two words of bad language,” and Sharratt and he “had a few unfriendly words.” Sharratt, who had been poking the fire, made to strike Killgannon, but the latter retaliated with his clenched fist, and knocked him down. Sharratt got a broken jaw. Until the dominoes were thrown in the fire, they were all on good terms.
The Superintendent had great trouble in getting O’Neill to answer his question.
Doctor Bain spoke to being called to Sharratt’s, who seemed rather dazed, and was bleeding from the nose. He was sober. There was a compound fracture of the left jaw. The man was still under his care, but was out of danger.
PC Barnes arrested Killgannon in the early hours of Sunday week. He was drunk, and had been turned out of his lodgings. He locked him up. When charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Sharon, he replied, “Well, he got up to strike me first.”
At this stage, it was intimated that the charge had been reduced to one of common assault. Kilgallon repeated the statement given above.
For the defence, Richard Dunleavy said the man shall attract a striking first. There was no previous convictions against Kilgallon, but he was sent to prison for one month with hard labour.
On account of the unsatisfactory manner in which they had given their evidence, costs were disallowed to O’Neill and Sharon.
Charged with having been drunk and disorderly on the case in question, Kilgallon pleaded not guilty.
PC Barnes heard the man was used disgraceful languages landlady, and locked him up. The officer was then aware and assault have been committed.
For this offence, Kilgallon was fined 2/6 and costs, with the option of seven days.