Mexborough and Swinton Times, April 22nd 1932

Great Houghton Miner Charged With Assault

“The Bench consider this is a bad case of assault. We hesitate whether to send you to prison, but we shall fine you 40s. If anything of this sort occur. again you will not have a chance to pay a fine.”

This warning was given by the Chairman (Mr. A. W. C. Bower) at Hellishly on Wednesday to George Taylor, miner, The Green, Great Houghton, who was charged by Richard Holmes, a neighbour, with assault.

Complainant said he was returning from a walk shortly before noon on Sunday, April 10th. when Taylor rushed out of the house and struck him a violent blow on the chest, knocking him down. He then hit him three or four times in the face and as he had a ring on his finger cuts were inflicted. Taylor shouted “I will kill you out of the way.”

The Clerk (Mr. Walsh): Do you know why he attacked you?

Yes, we have been building hen runs and he said I had told a farmer that he had stolen his wood. I did not mention names to anyone.

Defendant: Did you threaten that if I did not take my hen-place down you would tell where I got my wood from?—No.

Defendant: Don’t you think you ought to be the last man in the world to talk like that? I could have had you six months ago for drawing “dole” while you were working.

The Clerk: Never mind these little pleasantries. Ask him something about the assault. Can you tell us anything about striking him?

Defendant: Yes. I struck him in self-defence

Complainant denied that he had a knob-stick in his hand and said he did not go into the house to fetch a poker. He never attempted to strike Taylor.

P.c. Cooper said when he was called to the disturbance he found Holmes bleeding from two wounds, one on each temple. Taylor admitted striking him.

Taylor said there had been some dispute about hen-runs. With the permission of the landlord he erected a hen-place and Holmes fixed one up beside it. Holmes told two farmers that he had been stealing their timber. When he spoke to Holmes about this Holmes “let go” at him with a stick and went to fetch a poker. He merely struck him in self-defence.