Saturday May 18th, 1907
A VILLAGE ROW
At Milnthorpe Police Court on Monday, John Stephenson, senr., and John Stephenson, junr., father and son, fish dealers, Holme, were summoned by Abraham Southworth, of the same place, for assault, a counter summons of a similar nature being preferred against him. Southward’s story was that a grandson of the elder Stephenson, and other boys, annoyed him by trying to climb up a ladder to get at the birds’ nest under the eaves of his house, and when he objected they kept peeping through his windows, grinning and making faces at him. He went out and told them to go away, and Stephenson senior then came out of his stable and threatened him, afterwards striking him in the face. Witness got a stick to defend himself from the dog which set on him, and Stephenson then knocked him down and “pummelled him like a blacksmith’s anvil”, whilst the dog bit and worried him, and young Stephenson kicked him several times. By Mr. Cartmel (who appeared for the Stephensons): The dog was a courser and had fangs as long as his finger. Stephenson only desisted when the bystanders called out that they were going to kill him and threatened to interfere. William Varey, an old neighbour of the parties, gave an amusing version of the melee, and caused general laughter by quaintly advising the magistrates to fine them all round. P.C. Irwin stated that Southworth had a black eye, a black ear, bruised hips and thigh, as well as bruises all over his legs, the skin being broken on some places as if the result of a bite. On the other hand the Stephensons gave a complete denial of this story, and brought numerous witnesses to prove that Southworth was the assailant, and that they had acted throughout on the defensive. A stout ash stick was produced, and Stephenson the elder exhibited several cuts and bruises which he stated had been caused by Southworth. The Bench said that there had evidently been a most disgraceful row in the village, which they warned all the parties concerned not to repeat, and dismissed both summonses on payment of 9s. 6d. costs in the case of Southward, and 9s. for the Stephensons.
A VILLAGE ROW
At Milnthorpe Police Court on Monday, John Stephenson, senr., and John Stephenson, junr., father and son, fish dealers, Holme, were summoned by Abraham Southworth, of the same place, for assault, a counter summons of a similar nature being preferred against him. Southward’s story was that a grandson of the elder Stephenson, and other boys, annoyed him by trying to climb up a ladder to get at the birds’ nest under the eaves of his house, and when he objected they kept peeping through his windows, grinning and making faces at him. He went out and told them to go away, and Stephenson senior then came out of his stable and threatened him, afterwards striking him in the face. Witness got a stick to defend himself from the dog which set on him, and Stephenson then knocked him down and “pummelled him like a blacksmith’s anvil”, whilst the dog bit and worried him, and young Stephenson kicked him several times. By Mr. Cartmel (who appeared for the Stephensons): The dog was a courser and had fangs as long as his finger. Stephenson only desisted when the bystanders called out that they were going to kill him and threatened to interfere. William Varey, an old neighbour of the parties, gave an amusing version of the melee, and caused general laughter by quaintly advising the magistrates to fine them all round. P.C. Irwin stated that Southworth had a black eye, a black ear, bruised hips and thigh, as well as bruises all over his legs, the skin being broken on some places as if the result of a bite. On the other hand the Stephensons gave a complete denial of this story, and brought numerous witnesses to prove that Southworth was the assailant, and that they had acted throughout on the defensive. A stout ash stick was produced, and Stephenson the elder exhibited several cuts and bruises which he stated had been caused by Southworth. The Bench said that there had evidently been a most disgraceful row in the village, which they warned all the parties concerned not to repeat, and dismissed both summonses on payment of 9s. 6d. costs in the case of Southward, and 9s. for the Stephensons.
