Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 27 May 1892
A Sensational Unrehearsed Performance at Conisborough.
Robert Purdy, glassblower, Conisbro was summoned for using threats to Sarah Ann Purdy, on the 15th inst
Mr. Baddiley appeared for the defendant.
The complainant said the defendant was her husband’s brother. At twenty minutes to twelve on Saturday night there came a violent knocking at the door, and she asked” Whose there?” The voice said Open the _____ door or I will knock it in.” She answered that there would be no more door opening at her house that night. The defendant then commenced to use filthy language. He threatened he would ” rip her open.” He smashed some windows.
On Sunday she was very unhappy about it, and could not eat anything. At a quarter past ten on Sunday night he opened the door and came in. She said ” Now Bob, what have you come here again for? ” She thought he had done and said plenty on the Saturday night. He said, “Sarah Ann, I have gotten to know that thou art going to summon me.” and she replied that she should do. He then said he should “kill her dead.” and added “I will die by own band. That’s my motto.” (Laughter.) He had bees to see a performance at the theatre. He was more like a wild beast than a man. He was drunk on the Saturday night but not on the Sunday.
Mr. Baddiley suggested that his client was “acting” a bit. (Laughter) In answer to him the complainant said it was through she emptied the “chamber utensil” from the bedroom window upon the defendant but said it was because of the filthy language he had used to her. She was sober on the Saturday. A man named Grindle tried to get the defendant away front the house. The men had been to the house; they always were there. Yes, it was true she used bad language herself sometimes. She did not know why she did so. The defendant had been to the theatre on the Saturday night, and the Friday night the play was ” The Duke’s Motto.”
Kate Saxton having given evidence, Mr. Baddiley said he gave a complete denial to the charge. The magistrates, he said, would have recognised by the complainant’s demeanour in the box that she had not one of the ” sweetest of tempers.” (Laughter.) Indeed she was a violent and furious woman and had used very bad language, and said if was his wife be would ” ” her for it. What the defendant said was a bit of theatrical nonsense.
Purdy was then called to give evidence. He said he had gone to the house to see his brother, and the complainant refused to let him in. She used very bad language—it was not fit for a dog to here, Sbe accused him of being “rotten from the top of his head to the sole of his feet” (Laughter.)
This the complainant emphatically denied.
The defendant said the complainant also took the fire poker and shovel up to him. He had never said anything about “ripping” her.
The magistrates dismissed the case, but cautioned the defendant about his use of language, whether it came from going to the theatre or not.