Protestant Irishman’s Strange Experience

November 1921

Mexborough and Swinton Times, November 5.

A Denaby Story.

Protestant Irishman’s Strange Experience.

At Doncaster on Tuesday a peculiar case was heard, in which Edward Wynn, a Denaby miner, summoned John Callaghan, another miner, for assaulting him.

Mr Lindsay Crawford, for the complainant, remarked that he had been asked to make application for the case to be withdrawn, and he thought the Bench were entitled to hear the facts, and he would not be a party to arranging the case or allow it to be squared.

The complainant was an Irish Protestant, probably the only one in the district, and it was alleged that he had been seriously intimidated by the Catholics of the district for many reasons, which he did not think it was necessary to enter into that day. The complainant told him he was frightened out of his life in consequence of the threats if he proceeded with the charge.

The chairman (Sir Bewicke Copley) said they ought not to allow the case to be withdrawn without hearing something of it.

Mr Crawford agreed and added that he refused to do anything until he had made the explanation. In fairness to the defendant, he ought to say that the reason he had not appeared that morning was because of an intimation from the complainant as the course he was going to pursue.

The complainant, who lives in Adwick Street, said that on Saturday, October 22 at 2 p.m., he went into the Reresby Arms Hotel, into the singing room, with a friend. His friend left him and he (complainant) went to get two drinks. He opened the door of another room, and just put his head inside, thinking his friend might have gone in there, and was hailed by another friend.

Defendant who was there, immediately struck him over the head. He had not said a word to him. He afterwards made a rush to get outside but was again mauled and maltreated.

He was knocked down, and a man who he could not identify kicked him. Callaghan gripped him from behind, knocked him down, and got on top of him, whilst another man kicked him. Callaghan also bit him on the nose and twisted his scarf round his neck.

Somebody came to his assistance, and he went into the road to see if he could see a policeman, when someone shouted to him to look out. He saw the defendant and others coming towards, and he ran into a butchers shop out of the way.

Replying to Mr Crawford, he said he was really an agnostic. Threats had been used to him, but he had not had any previous trouble with the defendant. Trouble had been brewing for some time, and the rumour had gone about that he was a police spy.

After consulting Mr Crawford in regard to this matter, he received a visit from a man, who said it was no use going to court and throwing money away, and asked him to withdraw it.

Proceeding, he said that three of the men had approached him on behalf of Callaghan, giving a solemn undertaking that he would not be molested in the future. Callaghan attended an apology and promised to pay all expenses if he (complainant) would asked the Bench to allow the case to be withdrawn.

He had not said anything to Callaghan about not appearing but he promised he would not be vindictive. He was not a spiteful man.

It was decided to bind the defendant over.

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