Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 13 February 1891
An Assault In Pit At Wath.
Horace Evans, of Firth-lane, West Melton. was summoned for having assaulted Valentine Fish, of School terrace, Swinton, on the 2nd inst.
Defendant and complainant work at the Wath Main Colliery, and on the 2nd inst. a dispute arose respecting the sharing of some corves. Defendant, it was stated, struck the complainant on the forehead and afterwards gave him a black eye and struck him on the head and threatened him. Defendant alleged that the complainant tried to put him in one of the tubs.
A witness on defendant’s behalf said he never saw the complainant assaulted at all.
The Chairman (to the defendant): You had no right to strike the defendant. He has evidence on his face to show that he was assaulted.
Defendant: That could easily have been done in the scuffle.
The Chairman said if the complainant was doing wrong with respect to the sharing on the corves, he (defendant) should have complained to the proper person. He had no right to take the law into his own hands and having done so you must suffer for it.
The magistrates imposed a fine of 20s. and costs, or fourteen days in default.