Stopping the Toy at Denaby

Three Denaby miners named Edward Jones, Harry Jowett and Granville Flinders were summoned for assaulting Emily Bradshaw, wife of George Bradshaw also of Denaby

Mr H.H.Hickmott appeared for the defence.

Complainant stated that on the night in which the alleged assault occurred, she was going home with her husband when the defendant, who were waiting in the road, commenced to quarrel with him. They kicked him frightfully, and he fell and, as soon as he was on the ground they said they would kick his brains out.

As soon as she heard them say that she bent down, and covered his head up with her hands so they should not kick his brains out. Then they started to kick her. They kicked her on the side, and it had hurt her ever since.

In reply to Mr Hickmott complainant said her husband had been in the Reresby Arms three hours that night. The defendants had complained to the landlord about his behaviour, and through their representations the landlord had stopped the tap so far as the husband was concerned. When they met the defendant in the role her husband did not strike Jowett first, and say he would show him whether he would have the tap stopped by him. He did not cry out “Now Emma, scream lass, and let ‘em have a brick.” She did not rush up with a brick in hand and fall over husband, and wounding her thigh as with the fall.

George Bradshaw, husband of the last witness, declared that Jowett struck the first blow.

In cross examination witness admitted that the tap was stopped for him at the instigation of Jowett, but denied that he said that he would teach “these b——s to try and stop the tap for him. His wife was under a surety to keep the peace, and that was why the defendants thought they could do as they liked. This the reason why he had not summoned them himself was because they had not disabled him, but they had disabled his wife.

PC Midgley said he knew the place where the assault was alleged to have occurred. There were plenty of loose bricks and stones lying about this. The defendant, for anything he knew, were inoffensive men this. They told him the same story that they now put forward in defence. They said they had stopped the tap, and because of that match your commenced to quarrel with them on the road, and told his wife to let them have a brick, and that, as she was running up she fell over him, and thus received her injuries.

William Fellows was called for the defence, and declare that he saw Bradshaw strike Jowett, and Jowett knocked him down. He heard Bradshaw shout out “Scream Emma lass, and let ‘em have a brick.”

The Bench dismissed the case.