Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Wednesday 20 May 1908

Man’s Strange Story of Outrage at Conisborough.
Assaulted and Left Unconscious.

An extraordinary story was told at the West Riding Police Court at Doncaster this morning when Martin Myers and Eraannuel Gibbs, of Dalton Brook, were charged with highway robbery and with committing a violent assault on a man named Edward Strannack, who travels about the country with a horse and cart, and buys rags and old scrap.

Supt. Hickes said there was third man implicated and he asked for remand for a week.

Prosecutor stated that Monday afternoon was at Conisbro’ with a horse aud cart, and had man named Joseph Windle with him.

About half past three he saw the two prisoners and another man opposite the Three Horse Shoes, where he was getting a wheel bushed.

One of the men asked him to stand him a drink, and he took them into the public-house and paid for drink for them. Afterwards they went to the Red Lion, where they stayed drinking until ten o’clock at night.

Witness had been teetotal for eight weeks, and said when he left the Red Lion he was the worse for drink, but was not drunk. They all left the Red Lion together and went in the direction of Hill Top.

One of the men struck Windle and sent him back. When they got to Hill Top one man struck witness the head with stick and knocked him down, and the other two struck h:in with their fists. They tied handkerchief over his mouth. His boots were taken off, and he was badly treated

He had £7 in gold and a few shillings in silver upon him, also a metal watch and a silver guard and the money, etc., were taken from him.

He was unconscious for some time, and when he came round the men had disappeared. He made his way back to Conisbro’ and communicated with the police.

Prosecutor this morning appeared to have been badly assaulted. Prisoners were remanded for a week, when the third man will be brought and charged.