4 July 1903

ALLEGED CRUELTY TO A MARE
Charge Against an Ashton Man
At Hyde on Monday before the county magistrates Thomas GREEN, of 43 England-street, Ashton-under-Lyne, was charged with ill-treating and torturing a mare on the 23rd ult, at Mottram. Constable WAKEFIELD stated that at 8.5pm on the 23rd he was on duty in Market-street, Mottram, when he saw a black mare attached to a cart in front of the chip shop in Back-lane. He noticed the animal seemed very lame, and that the perspiration was dropping from it.

Shortly afterwards defendant came out of the chip shop, when witness asked about the animal, and he replied that it had been kicking and had gone very lame. Witness ordered that the animal should be taken out of the cart and stabled at once, and this was done. The next day defendant came and asked that the animal should be allowed to go out into a field, but on going to examine it, they found its leg was broken. In consequence the animal was slaughtered.

Joseph OLLERENSHAW, of 63 Broadbottom-road, Mottram, said he saw the defendant on the day in question near the Crescent Inn, Broadbottom. He was in charge of a dark-coloured mare. He noticed the animal was very lame, and that it was sweating. Witness considered it was not in a fit state to work.

Inspector ROBINSON, of the RSPCA, deposed that he visited a slaughter-house in Mottram on the 25th ult, where he found the dead body of animal. He secured the off bones of the off, hind leg. He found that the tendons and ligaments were very badly strained and lacerated, and that other bones were fractured. The animal must have suffered excruciating pain. On the next morning he went to Ashton and saw the defendant. – Witness produced in court for the inspection of the Bench the fractured section of the leg of the dead mare. – A fine of 5s and costs was imposed.

WHAT BECAME OF THE OXO CAR?
Letter from the Hon. Sec.
Sir, - Kindly allow me space for the explanation required as to what became of the Oxo car. All arrangements were completed a few days before the race; but I am sorry to say the persons appointed to look after the Oxo were not capable of looking after themselves, let alone 50 competitors. The Oxo was prepared on Monday night, and sent down to be placed in the Oxo car, along with six bottles of eau de Cologne, as stated in last Saturday’s Reporter.

Part of the Oxo was stolen, also one bottle ready for mixing hot. When the car reached Buxton, what was left of the Oxo was taken from the car and placed in a trap which had been requisitioned to supply the Oxo along the route. I myself left Buxton one hour after the competitors. When I reached Macclesfield I was informed that the trap containing the Oxo had not left Buxton, the man left in charge being in a helpless state of intoxication.

I then ordered refreshments at Macclesfield, also at Poynton, Hazel Grove, and Stockport. I never saw anything myself of the Oxo car from leaving Buxton. I shall certainly expect an apology through the medium of your paper from the men in charge of the Oxo competitors.

I also wish to add that the Oxo firm complied with my request and sent off enough Oxo that would have supplied the competitors twice the distance they traversed. I also beg to thank the public and police for the excellent preparations made for the comfort of the competitors. Thanking you for the space, - Yours faithfully,
T G GREAVES, Hon. Sec.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE OXO
Sir, - It is some little satisfaction that Mr GREAVES has had the courage to give us the real truth about the Oxo. It may pass off at that with some people, but some of us who saw the condition of the walkers, through the oppressive heat, over dusty roads, with lack of some provision to quench their thirst, still consider, not withstanding his explanation, that a great injustice and insult was committed to those men, through neglecting to make some other provision.

They seem to have been started off on the “do as you like” principle, and for twenty miles were shamefully neglected. But why depend on Oxo alone, watered down to vanishing point? Have we not some other substitutes to take the place of oxo? I have in mind that great undertaking and change in the permanent way of the Great Western Railway Company some years ago, where the drink used was oatmeal and water, tried and proved sufficient for furnace men, glass workers and others, and described by the “Times” as the most nourishing of all drinks.

Let some competitor try this drink, which can be seasoned with lemon, and then give us the result. There are also many other “refreshers” besides those alcoholic, but in this case if walker, Had no friend with him, he got nothing.

If we have another official competition, let it be conducted by sober men, who can not only take care of themselves, but be able to render such assistance as may be necessary by those deserving of more humane treatment than was shown in the Buxton to Ashton walk. – Yours truly,
E C BAINBRIDGE

THE SPEED OF MOTOR CARS
Sir, - It is about time an alteration was made in the law regarding the running of motor cars. A fine of £10 imposed upon those who use the cars improperly in respect to speed is but as a straw to them. After two heavy fines, if the offence is repeated, the best remedy is imprisonment, which would act as a cure in most cases.

We are afraid to go out in this locality with a horse of any spirit on account of the motor cars. Forty miles an hour is a regular speed for them. A few days ago a car which passed along the Bridgenorth and Ludlow road was timed, and was found to cover a particular mile in one minute.

As to the regulation speed of twelve miles an hour, it is a farce. On Sunday a motor car did a distance of twelve miles past here at an average speed of forty miles an hour on the riders’ own showing. Several parts of the main roads require widening, and the money for doing the work ought to be raised by putting a heavy tax on motor cars.
Signed, Jno. WOOLLEY
Brockton, Much Wenlock, Salop

WALKING MATCH AT ASHTON
There was a walking match from the house of Mr George GRIME, Junction Inn, Turner-lane, Ashton, to the Red Lion Hotel, Crown Point, Denton, and back to the Junction Inn, a distance of 6½ miles, on Thursday night. The first prize was a Gladstone bag awarded to Jas. CASSIDY, aged 15 year; time 1 hour 4 minutes (2 minutes start).

Second prize, silver medal, gold centre, awarded to George DAVIS, aged 13 years, 1 hour 12 mins, having allowed 7 minutes start. Third prize, bottle of special whiskey, awarded to Harold LOMAS, 1 hour 5 mins, 25 secs, scratch man. There was also a special prize awarded to Miss CLEMENTS, aged 11 years, comprising a silver medal, gold centre; time 1 hour 12 mins 26 secs, having had 7 minutes start from scratch men.

A spectator writes:- Whilst the walking excitement seems to be at fever heat just now, a word of warning to those who promote these contests will not be out of place. Incalculable harm may be done, if due caution and judgment are not exercised. A walking contest from Ashton to Crown Point and back took place on Thursday night. One of the competitors was a little girl about 10 years old.

Surely it is the height of folly to permit children of such tender age to compete against men in an effort which, even to the latter, often results in extreme exhaustion. Such a terrible strain on a child’s heart cannot fail to have disastrous effects on its health, and on this ground I appeal to the promoters of such contests to exercise common sense and prohibit the entrance of children.

ASHTON CHILDREN BOUND FOR CANADA
The four children for whom Mr G H PARTINGTON, clerk to the Ashton Board of Guardians, obtained orders at the Ashton Borough Court some two months ago to send them to Canada, embarked at Liverpool for their new homes on Thursday. They are to be placed in the homes of farmers in Canada to undergo a course of training, and will be periodically inspected by properly authorised persons until they attain the age of 16 years, when they will be at liberty to strike out on their own account.

It will be remembered that a brother and sister named STAFFORD were to be sent away, but when the matter came before the magistrates the girl refused to go. Since then the father of the children, who was said to be in prison, has turned up and claimed both the boy and girl. The names of the children who sailed on Thursday are James and Christine McGANLEY (brother and sister), John BURNS, and Agnes MANION.

STEEPLE-JACKS KILLED AT ASHTON MOSS COLLIERY
Fall from a Chimney
Following on the sad accident which occurred at the Ashton New Moss Colliery on Tuesday forenoon, by which a miner named Rueben SMALLEY was crushed to death, another and equally serious accident occurred on the colliery premises about four o’clock in the afternoon of the same day.

A steeple-jack named Robert HARTLEY, aged 43 years, residing at 7 Grundy-street, Oldham, who was in the employ of Mr Joseph BALL, steeple-jack, of the York Castle, Oldham, was engaged in repairing the chimney of the pit, and was working on a scaffold about sixty feet from the ground, when he by some means missed his footing, and fell to the ground.

He was terribly injured about the head, ribs and the left arm, and was rendered unconscious. Several workmen engaged in the vicinity ran to the spot, and he was placed in the colliery ambulance and conveyed with all speed to the surgery of Dr CRAWSHAW, and thence to the District Infirmary, where he died at 6.40pm.

ON THE DOWNWARD PATH
Strange Behaviour of a Dukinfield Young Man
Stealing His Mother’s Savings
The County Magistrates at Hyde Police Court were called upon to adjudicate in a painful case which came before them on Monday, in which Frederick Wm. THOMPSON, a tinplate worker by trade, was charged with stealing a sovereign from a drawer of dwelling-house in Birch-lane, Dukinfield, on the 24th ult, the property of his mother.

Elizabeth THOMPSON said she kept a grocer’s shop at 6 Birch-lane, Dukinfield. Prisoner was her son, and he resided with her. On Wednesday, the 24th ult, she placed some money in a drawer in the kitchen, at the same time locking the drawer. On Friday night she missed the sovereign. For some time previously she had missed the key, and she had to get another one.

Prisoner went away about Friday about noon, and she did not see him again until the following day, when she saw him at the police station. On several occasions she had missed money from the drawer. The key produced, which was the missing key, was found on prisoner.

Sergeant CLAYES said he received prisoner into custody on Saturday, and charged him with stealing a sovereign of his mother’s money. He replied that it was quite true. Witness found the key produced on the prisoner, and it fitted the drawer in question. Prisoner had 15s 9d in his possession when arrested.

Superintendent CROGHAN said prisoner had been twice convicted for sleeping out. When he was arrested for the offence for which he was now charged he was found by the police rambling about Denton. Mrs THOMPSON, recalled by the magistrates, said she thought her son was a bit slow, but he knew when he was doing wrong.

The Chairman of the magistrates (to prisoner): Would you like to go to an asylum? – Prisoner: No, sir. – The Chairman: I think that is the next best step for you. You have been to prison and that doesn’t seem to have done you any good.

After a long consultation on the part of the magistrates, the Chairman said they hardly knew what they were to do with prisoner, but on asking if he could get work and behave well to his mother if they gave him another chance, he said he would. It was accordingly decided to defer sentence for three months to see how he went on, and he was bound over to come up in three months for judgment, himself in £5 and his mother in £5.

ALL ABOUT A COCKEREL
A Struggle in Dukinfield Road – One of the Combatants Charged with Theft
At Hyde, on Monday, before the county magistrates, Nathan PARKIN, of 4 Nelson-street, Dukinfield, was charged with stealing a young cockerel, value 3s 6d, the property of Edwin ANDERSTON, on the 27th ult.

Edwin ANDERTON said he resided at 7 Ogden Square, Dukinfield. Witness exchanged the cockerel produced for another on the Ashton Market Ground on Saturday. On coming home, he called in the Magnet beerhouse. He had the cockerel with him at the time, and it was alive. He saw the prisoner in the beerhouse, and the latter said, “This is my cockerel.” Witness said it wasn’t, and he (witness) then left the house. Prisoner followed him, and overtook him at the Park Hotel, and without speaking to him threw him to the floor and took the cockerel from him, and it was killed in the struggle. Prisoner then went in the direction of Nelson-street, and witness gave information to the police. The same evening witness saw prisoner at the police station. He identified him, and gave him in charge. The fowl was worth 3s 6d.

John Thomas JONES, of 3 Waterloo-road, Dukinfield, coal miner, said he remembered Saturday night last. He was standing at the Old Bridge about 8.30, when he saw ANDERTON leave the Magnet Inn. He came towards witness, and the latter saw the bird produced in his possession. Immediately afterwards he saw prisoner come out of the “Magnet,” and was held by a woman. He afterward broke loose from the woman and ran after ANDERTON. He overtook him near the Park Hotel, where he got hold of ANDERTON and threw him down. He then got hold of the cockerel’s leg, and ANDERTON stuck to its head and in the struggle the cock got killed.

Constable KENNY stated that on the 27th, in consequence of information received, he went to prisoner’s house, and there found the fowl produced. He afterwards found the prisoner in the Park Hotel. He took him to the police station, but as he was not sober he did not then charge him. On the following day he charged him with stealing a young cockerel, value 3s 6d, from Edwin ANDERTON. He replied, “That’s him; I bargained with him to buy the fowl. I offered him a shilling for it, but I don’t know whether he took it or not.

Prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge, but said he was in drink at the time, and was under the impression the fowl was his. The chairman of the magistrates (County Alderman BEELEY) said drink was no excuse. If a man made himself incapable that was no reason why he should commit an injustice upon anybody else. Superintendent CROGHAN said prisoner had been five times convicted for drunkenness, twice for assaulting the police, and once for a breach of the peace. A fine of 10s, and costs, or 14 days, was imposed.