13 July 1901
THEFT OF
HARNESS AT ASHTON
James BEAVER and Ann BEAVER, mother and son,
were in custody at the Ashton Borough Police Court
on Thursday, the first named being charged stealing
a set of harness, the property of Messrs GIBSON,
on July 6th, and the mother being charged with
receiving the harness well knowing it to have
been stolen.
John CLARKE, 34 Tatton-street, Ashton,
deposed to the harness being the property of his
employer. He last saw it safe at five o’clock
on the Saturday, and missed it at ten o’clock
the following morning. The value of the harness
was about £6.
Detective HEIGHWAY deposed to arresting
the two prisoners. When charged, the male prisoner
said, "I am very sorry. I was out of work."
Witness visited the house of the female prisoner
in Croft-lane, and there found the harness upstairs
in a sack behind the bed. Prisoner said her son
had brought the harness there, and told her not
to let anyone have it. She did not know it was
stolen property.
The male prisoner pleaded guilty,
and said it was his first offence. He had worked
at Mr J ANDREW’s trotting ground for nine
years, and had also worked at Messrs SHAWCROSS’
wine bar. It was all through associating with
bad "pals." Prisoners, on pleading guilty,
were both bound over in the sum of 40s to be of
good behaviour for six months.
FALL DOWN CELLAR STEPS AT
ASHTON
About 10 a.m. on Saturday the attention of Constable
GOODWIN was called to a woman named Mary LEMON,
aged 50 years, widow, residing at 1 Hollas-court,
off Moss-street, Ashton. The woman stated that she
was shifting some furniture in the house about 10.30
the previous night (Friday), when she fell down
the cellar steps. She lay there till the following
morning when a neighbour named Margaret WALKER went
into the house, and heard the woman groan, and call
out in the cellar that her leg was broken. Assistance
was obtained, and the woman was carried from the
cellar into the house. Dr TALENT was sent for, and
on making an examination found the woman suffering
from a fractured thigh. The injuries were attended
to and the woman was afterwards removed to the Union
Workhouse hospital on the police ambulance.
IMPRESSIONS OF A VISIT TO
STAMFORD PARK
Sir, — The other afternoon two gardener
friends called in to see me. While partaking of
a cup of tea, one of them asked me if I had anything
of interest to show them about Ashton. After a moment
or two of thought, I said "Yes, we will go
to the Stamford Park. There is some rock work being
done there which will be of interest to you."
No sooner said than done. We wended our way towards
Old Square and took a tram for the park.
On our way one of my friends noticed
the number of tall chimneys which kept popping
in view and observed the surroundings were not
very favourable to vegetation. I said: "You
will be surprised how well things look when we
get there." Well, on entering the park we
took the path to the left which leads to the glen.
Immediately on entering, the visitor has a foresight
of the beauties of the place. On the right, the
rock work commences, which for workman-like skill
combined with harmonising landscapes is not to
be surpassed in the north of England.
The beautiful cascades and niches
in the rockery for the growth of plant life are
excellently chosen, also the rests (arm chair
like), which are left here and there for the tired
visitor to sit. On going further up the glen you
cross a stone bridge which had human faces cut
into the rockwork. These are a study for the curious.
Immediately after crossing the bridge, you come
to a basin, which is surrounded with iris and
other water loving plants.
My friends reminded me that time
was short, so we hurry forward where we come to
the crowning point of all, the grand waterfall
and cascades at the top of the glen. The beautiful
conception and general harmony are grand. You
ascend by a path to the top where, from a bridge,
you can view the beauties below. While on the
bridge, I enquired of my friends what their impressions
were. They answered "You have given us a
real treat. We never expected to see anything
like this. You said you would show us a bit of
rockwork! Why it is gigantic!"
I remain yours truly, James HOUGH,
Rockwood Terrace, Oldham-road
EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT MILLBROOK
STATION
Signal Lamp Infested by a Swarm of Bees — An
Expert Stratagem
An extraordinary scene was witnessed at Millbrook
Station on Monday night. The event, though not unique
in that particular district, caused plenty of interest
and no little excitement. In the evening a swarm
of bees, estimated at 20,000 strong, settled upon
a signal lamp on the L and N W Railway, and their
presence had the effect of considerably delaying
the traffic.
"Scout bees" had previously
been seen in the vicinity as if in search of a
suitable hive, and in a short interval, the swarm
made their appearance. The position of the railway
officials can be better imagined than described;
from Mr MADEN (station master) downwards, the
staff were in a complete dilemma. None of them
dared to venture near the signal lamp, which the
bees had taken possession of, and when the affair
had assumed a serious aspect the officials notified
Mr Abel BOTTOMLEY, whose knowledge of bees is
excessive and so well known.
The gentleman procured a hat box,
which he bore, and though failing in his search
for the Queen bee, he succeeded in luring the
swarm into the imprisoned hive. This was not,
however, accomplished without much strategy, but
Mr BOTTOMLEY never ceased to persevere, and he
was rewarded by success. Having procured the whole
of the bees he conveyed them to his own hives.
Two years ago a swarm of bees visited Millbrook,
and on that occasion Mr BOTTOMLEY’s exertions
were attended with the same degree of success
as on Monday and Tuesday last.
GRANT TO AN ASHTON SPINNER
At last week’s meeting of the Ashton-under-Lyne
Operative Spinners’ Association, it was decided
to give the permanent accident grant of £100 to
Samuel CROWTHER, a spinner formerly employed at
the Lumb Mill. He met with a serious accident about
two months ago when he fell over a "slip"
in the mule room, and injured his shoulder and knee,
the doctor certifying that he would not be able
to follow his employment again.
FAMILY SQUABBLE AT HURST
Division of Money
At the Ashton County Police Court on Wednesday,
Isaac JONES was summoned by Hugh JONES for assault.
Mr LEES, solicitor, appeared for the complainant,
and Mr F HAMER, solicitor, represented the defendant.
— Mr LEES said that the parties were brothers.
Their mother died at Whitsuntide leaving about £20
in money, £18 of which was left for division after
expenses had been paid.
There were six children, one of
them an invalid, and it was decided to have £3
10s each, the invalid to receive the remainder.
The defendant went to the complainant’s house
and created a disturbance, demanding 10s more
from his brother, whom he hit on the head with
a jug, and knocked several ornaments on the ground.
Hugh JONES, 90 Hope-street, Hurst, gave corroborative
evidence and said they each decided to give 10s
each to the invalided brother.
Abel JONES, invalid, said he lived
with the complainant. Defendant came to the house
and made a bother, saying he wanted 10s. He punched
complainant. — By Mr HAMER: He could not
say that he struck him with the jug, but he punched
him. — Mrs JONES stated she was in the house
when the defendant came in worse for drink. He
began to swear and hit the table. He hit complainant
on the top of the head with a jug and knocked
him in the corner. — Mrs RICHARDS gave corroborative
evidence, and said defendant was not drunk, but
had had some.
Mr HAMER described it as a family
squabble about the division of money. Defendant
went to complainant in a friendly manner for a
sum of 10s, which he considered he was entitled
to. Complainant jumped up and said he did not
want defendant bothering there, and endeavoured
to get hold of him by the neck. Defendant resisted,
and several blows were struck. — Defendant
gave corroborative evidence, and said he could
say nothing without complainant interfering. He
simply defended himself. He was not drunk. Defendant
was fined 5s, and costs.
Talk about rigidity and observance
of the town’s bye-laws! We saw one of them
observed with gusto on Tuesday night. According
to a poster recently issued, cyclists upon overtaking
any cart or carriage, beast of burden, or foot passenger,
are required to sound a bell or whistle, or otherwise
give audible and sufficient warning of their approach.
"Audible" warning was
given by a party of cyclists in Stamford-street
on Tuesday night. There were five or six of them,
some carrying in their hands "tooters"
which they had detached from the handle bars of
their machines. One or two of them would steal
up surreptitiously behind a pedestrian, preferably
a female walking quietly along, and then stretching
out his arm, blow the tooter with full force close
to the ear. The result would be a sudden start
and if perchance in the roadway, a rush towards
the footpath. The other cyclists kept up a continuous
squealing with their syrens (sic) so that Stamford-street
was worse than Bedlam. Surely this is too much
of a good thing. It is certainly going one better
than the bye-law.
PERMISSION TO SELL —
On Monday, at the Borough Court, Ellis Edward HAMER
applied for permission to sell at the Walk Mill
Tavern, in place of John ISHERWOOD. In reply to
questions, applicant said he had been in business
before at the Fleece Inn, Stalybridge. He called
a witness as to character, and the application was
granted. — Thomas Hague SCHOFIELD also applied
for permission to sell at the Music Hall Inn, Welbeck-street,
in place of William HEYS. He had been in business
before in Manchester. — The Chief Constable
had no objection, testimony as to character had
been given, and the application was granted. —
Mary Jane ROYLES obtained permission to sell at
the Cambridge Inn, Cambridge-street, in place of
her father, the late Mr Arthur MOORS.
HURST
RIDING BICYCLE ON FOOTPATH — At the Ashton
County Police Court on Wednesday, Thomas HARDMAN
was fined 1s and costs for riding a bicycle on the
footpath at Hurst.
BOUND OVER — Mary A
HILDITCH was bound over in the sum of 40s to keep
the peace for three months, on Wednesday, at Ashton
County Police Court, the charge against her being
breach of the peace on June 9th.
HE WANTED WASHING —
A charge of throwing stones at Hurst on June 13th
was preferred against Edward WRIGHT and William
WOLSTENHOLME at the Ashton County Police Court
on Wednesday. — WRIGHT pleaded guilty, and
WOLSTENHOLME not guilty. — Evidence was tendered
by a constable of seeing both defendants throwing
stones in Collier-street. — Magistrates’
Clerk (to WOLSTENHOLME): What age are you? 17.
— What do you do? Walk about. — What
does your mother do? She washes. — Chairman:
I wish she would wash your dirty face. —
(Laughter.) — WRIGHT was fined 5s and WOLSTENHOLME
1s.
DRUNK ON LICENSED PREMISES
— David SHORT failed to put in an appearance
at the Ashton County Police Court on Wednesday,
charged with being drunk on licensed premises.
— A constable deposed to following defendant,
who was drunk, into the Colliers’ Arms, Hillgate-street,
and preventing him being served. — Fined
10s and costs. — Thomas HILL was fined 2s
6d for a simple drunk on June 24th.
BENEFIT CONCERT — A
grand benefit concert was held at the Colliers’
Arms, Hurst Brook, on Tuesday evening, in aid
of Mr WHITE, which was exceedingly well patronised.
The following artistes gave their services: Mr
J FITTON, tenor; Mr W WYLLIE, baritone; Miss Maud
VERT, contralto; Messrs Ted MOSS, baritone; J
ROGERSON, comedian. Mr R JACKSON placed some splendid
records on the giant phono, (kindly lent by Mr
A DAVIES, of the Robin Hood, Ashton), which greatly
added to the evening’s entertainment
SUDDEN DEATH AT ASHTON
Information was received at the Ashton Police
Office on Saturday of the death of Ellen ADSHEAD,
widow of William ADSHEAD, formerly coal miner, aged
67 years, and residing at 53 Park-street, Ashton,
which took place at the afore mentioned address
at twelve o’clock noon the same day. Deceased
had not had any settled home for the last six weeks
and up to about six months ago worked as a weaver.
She had not enjoyed good health, and had often complained
of hoarseness and shortness of bread, and a doctor
was sent for, but on his arrival shortly afterwards
death had taken place.
The inquest was held on Monday at
the White Hart Inn, Fleet-street, Ashton, before
Mr J F PRICE, coroner. Reuben WRIGHT, brother
of the deceased, deposed to her having had bad
health, and being troubled as named before. He
was sent for on Saturday and went at 11 o’clock,
finding her on a sofa in a very bad state. From
the appearance of the floor, it was evident she
had been spitting blood very considerably. He
went for Dr TWOMEY, and while witness was out,
and before the doctor arrived, she died.
Elizabeth Ann WILSON, with whom
the deceased had lodged, said that deceased was
all right on Friday. On Saturday morning witness
left the house at about six o’clock, returning
at seven. She found the deceased coughing very
badly, and afterwards she commenced to spit blood.
Witness then told her to see someone, and went
for her brother. A verdict of death from natural
causes was returned.
THE UNLAWFUL WOUNDING AT
ASHTON
At the Salford Quarter Sessions on Monday, Joseph
ALCOCK, 26, collier, was charged with unlawfully
wounding another collier named Joseph HARROP at
Ashton-under-Lyne on 22nd May. Mr DODSON instructed
by Mr J B POWNALL, who prosecuted, called three
witnesses who stated that the prisoner went up to
prosecutor whilst the latter was standing in the
street smoking a pipe, and without provocation struck
him on each side of the head, knocked him down,
and kicked him. The prosecutor’s injuries included
a cut ear, which had to be stitched, and a fractured
rib. The prisoner afterwards kicked the police officer
who apprehended him.
A woman called for the defence said
that she saw the whole occurrence. She saw the
prisoner and HARROP quarrelling and afterwards
saw two men take HARROP away. Directly afterwards
he returned, took a running kick at the prisoner
and fell upon his side on the curbstones (sic)
and groaned. In cross-examination, she disclaimed
having seen any more. — Mr GIBBONS, instructed
by Mr J S HATON, for the defence, said the matter
resolved itself into a drunken row between two
colliers. A quarrel of six years’ standing
broke out afresh and the injuries were, he contended,
caused by falling in the street. — The jury
found the prisoner guilty of a common assault,
and he was sentenced to hard labour for four calendar
months.
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AT ASHTON
At the Ashton County Police Court on Wednesday,
Samuel MOSSOP was in custody charged with attempting
to commit suicide. Superintendent HEWITT stated
that the prisoner was a tailor by trade, and for
some time worked for Messrs BRIGGS, Old Square,
Ashton. On Tuesday morning, about three o’clock,
prisoner attempted to commit suicide by cutting
his throat with a razor. He did not succeed in his
object, and thereupon went and called up a neighbour,
and told him what he had been doing.
A doctor was sent for, and on his
arrival ordered MOSSOP’s removal to the Workhouse
Hospital, where the wound in his throat was attended
to. — The Magistrates’ Clerk: You ought
to have more sense than to be taking drink to
excess as you have done and then doing this. —
Prisoner: I will be teetotal. — Magistrates’
Clerk: So long as you cannot drink in moderation,
you should not take any at all. — Prisoner’s
mother was present in court, and promised to take
him home, as he had been living by himself. —
Prisoner was discharged with a caution.
DEATH OF A STALYBRIDGE SOLDIER
AT THE FRONT
Corporal Samuel ROBERTS a Victim to Pneumonia
The sad intelligence reached Stalybridge last
weekend that Corporal Samuel ROBERTS (No 3,116),
son of Mr Samuel ROBERTS of 155 High-street, Stalybridge,
had succumbed to an attack of pneumonia at Krugersdorp,
South Africa, deceased being but 29 years of age.
Sam (as he was styled amongst his friends) was very
well known and respected in Stalybridge, and his
demise will come as a great shock to his acquaintances.
He joined the 1st Derby Regiment in 1891, and two
years later departed for India, and took part in
the Tirah campaign, being present at the charge
of Dargia, for which he received a medal and two
bars.
He left India in 1898 for Aden where
he remained a year, subsequently sailing for England,
his term of service having expired. Sam then joined
the Worcester police force, and he was still a
constable there when called up as a reservist
on 1st November 1899 to proceed to South Africa.
He arrived at East London (S.A.) in December of
that year, and joined General GATAERE’s army
corps who were stationed for a considerable time
at Stormberg, and until Lord ROBERTS made sweeping
movement and invaded the Orange Free State.
During his stay in South Africa,
Sam wrote several interesting letters to his brother,
Mr Richard ROBERTS, who is the esteemed president
of the Stalybridge Oddfellow’s Social Club.
In May last year, he spoke of his regiment being
in possession of a naval gun which he thought
were the best in the country. He had seen one
of the guns carry over seven miles. There was
a lot of grumbling in his regiment about the 5s
a day to the Yeomanry, some of whom were on "corner
boys."
HEAVY FINE FOR GAMING AT
STALYBRIDGE
On Monday at the Stalybridge Police Court, before
Mr T WILLIAMSON and other justices, four men, named
respectively Albert VALE, William LEWIS, Edward
PRINCE and James TAYLOR, all of Robinson-street,
were summoned for gaming by playing with cards at
a game called "banker" on an open space
— the Platts — on 30th ult. They all pleaded
guilty.
Constable ASHTON said that at 4.45
on Sunday afternoon he was on duty at the Platts,
along with Detective LEE, when he saw the defendants
playing at banker with cards. Witness picked up
three cards and a penny coin and told the men
they would be reported. Chief Constable BATES
asked the magistrates to inflict a heavy fine
in this case. The police had bother enough with
small boys gaming, but when full-grown men were
caught in the act, he thought an example should
be made of them.
The magistrates retired for a few
moments, and upon their return Mr WILLIAMSON said
that gaming was one of the worst evils which existed,
and the Bench was determined to impose a heavy
penalty, and make an example of the defendants.
Each would be fined a guinea and costs, or one
month'’ hard labour. LEWIS elected to go
to gaol, but the other defendants asked for and
were granted a fortnight in which to pay the costs.
- £1 10s 10d in each case.
