Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 01 August 1902.
Well Merited Punishment
John Swift Myers, miner, New Conisbrough, was charged in custody, on a warrant with having committed an indecent assault upon Hannah Houghton, a little girl, on August 11, 1900, new Conisbrough.
Supt. Blake stated that a warrant had been taken out for the apprehension of the prisoner, who had absconded in 1900. The prisoner enlisted in the Army, as he was a deserter. Since the time the offence had been committed, one of the principal witnesses had died, he thought somewhat that after they had heard the evidence they had better take it as a case of common assault.
Hannah Houghton, aged 7 years, said she knew the prisoner before he left Denaby two years ago, and remembered seeing him in Machin’shouse, Loversall Street, New Conisbrough, where she was. There was no one else in the house when he committed the assault complained. When she got home she did not say anything to her father or mother about the occurrence.
The next witness called for the prosecution was William Webb, of Loversall Street, New Conisbrough. The complainant was his stepdaughter. He remembered August 11, when Sarah Ann Kennedy went into her house at about 2:30 p.m. with the little girl, was crying. She asked her what was the matter, and she then told what Myers had done to her. The witness called PC Turner, but the prisoner absconded. The prisoner enlisted in the Army, and he did not see him again until he was in soldier’s uniform.
The mother said the child told that Myers had assaulted her.
The prisoner denied the charge, saying that the case to be brought that the instance of Kendray whom he assaulted on the date mentioned. He absconded as he was a deserter at the time and was subsequently apprehended, and sent to South Africa.
The Bench sentenced the prisoner to one month’s imprisonment.