Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 03 August 1900
The Denaby Abduction Case.
On Friday, at Leeds Assizes, before Mr Justice Ridley, John Wood, miner, was indicted for an offence against a girl, aged 15. At Conisborough, on the 25th April, and other dates, and also with abducting the girl from the custody of her parents.
Mr Schofield prosecuted.
The facts for the prosecution were that the girl lived with her parents in Waterloo street, Clay Cross, near the prisoner, who was a married man. On the 25th April he enticed her to go away with him, promising to behave well to her, and to give her all she wanted. They vent to Conisborough, and stayed the night at the prisoner’s aunt .
The following fortnight they stayed with prisoner’s sister, and subsequently took a house in Scawsby Street, New Conisborough, where they stayed for a month. Prisoner brought other men to the house, and told the girl to say she was 18. The only furniture in the place was too old chairs downstairs and two dirty mattresses on the bed up stairs. Afterwards the girl repented, and wrote to her father.
Prisoner said the girl went away with her mother’s consent.
His Lordship passed sentence of 18 months hard labour.