Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

8 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

OLD LETTERS.

MERTHYR BOARD OF GUARDIANS.

ABERDARE POLICE COURT.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

ABERDARE POLICE COURT. TUESDAY.—(Before J. C. Fowler and E. J. Davies, Esqs.) Assaulting a Policeman.—John Howells and Daniel Rees, two very pugilistic-looking wights, were summoned for assaulting P.C. Morgan whilst in the execution of his duty. The policeman was on duty in High-street on Saturday last, when he heard some rather loud talk pro- ceeding from Dare Court. He went there, and found both the defendants in the act of fighting. He was at first in- clined to interfere as a peace-maker, and be separated the defendants. Howells, however, struck him a hard blow cn the eye, and also gave him several pokeø" about the body. He was thrown on his knees, and while in that posture, Rees also delivered him some tidy thrusts. The consequence of this conduct was that both the worth ies were fined 40s. including costs. Howells paid the cash, but Rees preferred going to the stone jug at Swansea for 21 days. Thirsty Souls.—William Jones and J'ohn Morgan were found in a rather "spirited" mood in CairdifF-street, on the 25th inst., by P.C. Jennings. They were accommodated with lodgings in the lock-up till to-day, when they were fined 5s. and costs each in default, they might take cheap apartments at Swansea gaol for seven da ys. A Lenient Prosecutor. —A red-headeoi customer calling himself William Phillips, was charged with wilfully cut- ting and wounding a young man named James Pritchard. The parties had come to some arrangement outside of the court, when defendant said he would pay all expenses if the prosecution was not proceeded with. Complainant wil- lingly agreed to this proposal, and the defendant was there- fore discharged. A Riotous Inebriate.—Thomas Price, who was rather heavy and noisy at the Trap-road, on tlie 20th inst., was fined 5s. and costs. Trespassers.—A number of young men. and old were fined for trespassing on a fence belonging to Mr. Bruce Price, at Mountain Ash. It seems the fence leads into the wood where John Davis was recently killed, and many people go there to see the spot where the crime was committed. Notices, however, were posted up prohibiting such tres- passing, and several of those were torn down. Amongst those fined to-day were—Jonathan Jones, Id. compensa- tion, 2s. 6d. fine and costs: James Jones, Id. compensation Id. tine and costs; David Joseph, Id. comjwns&tiion, 2a 6d. fine and costs John Thomas, Id. compensation, Is. fine and costs; Thos. Thomas, Id. compensation, 2s. 6d. fine and costs; and John West, Id. compensation, Id. tine and costs. Assault.—Mary Jones summoned Mary Phillips for an assault. The case was adjourned till next week. Another Inebriate.—John Griffiths, for being drunk and riotous on Monday morning, was fined 7s. 6d. including costs. IMPORTANT CASE OF INTIMIDATION BY COLLIERS. Seven men (principally hauliers from the Dunraven colliery, near Rhonnda), named John Hay, Thomas Lewis, John Thomas, Robert Williams, David Lewis, John Green, and Samuel Jenkins, a young boy, were summoned for having unlawfully, by threats and intimidation, endeavour- ed to force one Patsy Cook, alias Reardun, James Sullivan, and James M'Carthy, who were workmen hired and em. ployed by the Dunraven United Collier's Company (Limited), in their trade and business of coal workers, in the capacity of labours, to depart from the said hiring and employment contrary to the form of the statue in such case. Mr. Smith appeared for the prosecution, and he thought it might, perhaps, simplify the case if the prisoners were inclined to admit the offence. The prisoners pleaded guilty, and Mr. Smith then proceeded to state the facts of the case. He said the charge arose from circumstances which occur- red on Sunday night last, followed up by other matters which took place on the Monday night following. As there might be some question as to the facts of what had occurred on the Monday, he would simply confine himself to the Saturday, although, had the case gone on he should have told the whole affair. On Saturday night, about ten o'clock, the whole of the defendants, in company with some forty or fifty persons, went first to the house of a person named Cronin, an Irishman, living on the Dunraven property, at the colliery. They threw stones at the door in the first place, and the man Patsy Cooke was in the house with Cronin. At that time, a letter, which he (Mr. Smith) held in his hand, was thrown into the house, and that was immediately followed by the defendants, with others, going into the house and asking how many Irishmen lodged there. The letter, therefore, would be evidence against all the parties, as they were all there with the one purpose. The letter con- tained some disgusting expressions, and he (Mr. Smith) would read part of it only. It was to the following effect:— "June 23rd, 1866.—Dear Timbers,—We have sent you these few lines to inform you that you are to leave this place (Paddys' Row), in less than one hour; and the lodgers except the family. So no more at present from the Officer of the Black army. The family must go on next Saturday night, and you must look sharp about it." [Some other expres- sions were added to the letter, which were very filthy indeed, and totally unfit for publication.] Mr. Smith pro- ceeded to say that of course the Black Army," unfortu- nately, was a name not unfamiliar to the people of that district. There was nothing done at Cronin's house but, almost before Patsy Reardon (or Cooke) could get to the house where he lodged, the seven defendants, with the other forty or fifty persons went to the house of Skinner, who was the schoolmaster of Dunraven. They first asked, "How many Irishmen have you lodging here ?" He said, Three." They said, You must send them out or we will send them away in less than five minutes." He then remonstrated with them—more particularly with Green—and asked them to go away. They said, If you don't send them out we will drive them out; we won't have them working here; they work under wages, and they shan't work in the valley at all. There are so many of them they will soon fill our places." In consequence of that conversation the Irishmen, sitting in the house- one of whom was eating his supper— became alarmed, and the more so that some of these men actually got into the house and there repeated their threats. Eventually the Irishmen went outside of the house, and when they got there the man Green had stones in his hand, as also had the little boy. That was the reason why the latter was here, as, were it not for that, the prosecutors should not have brought so young a child. Therefore, it was evident some real violence was intended, unless the Irishmen acquiesced to the defendants' wish. When the Irishmen went out they were put in front of the body of men, and driven from the work. These words were then said, We give you one minute to go, if you go quietly no one will touch you, but if you don't go quietly we will make you go." While the defendants, with those along with them, were proceeding through the works, the underground agent, Mr. Davies, heard of the disturbance. He at once went out, and seeing what was going on he jumped into the midst of the crowd of fellows, but, with the cowardice of men who knew they had done wrong, these men shrunk back from the agent. He seized one of the Irishmen, and attempted to stop the others. They, however, ran away, but he followed them, and brought them back by main force through the crowd of fellows, and sent them to their houses. Almost immediately after wards the policemen were brought upon the scene, and some of the fellows were seized. A policeman had a con- versation with Hay, which it was important the Bench should know, as it showed there was one common mtentiou of driving these men away. He said to Hay, What's this disturbance about?" "Oh," said Hay, "There is no dis- turbance at alL" "I heard," said the other, "you want to drive the Irishmen away." No," answered Hay, "we have only given them notice." Then, of course, there was no doubt that this was the kind of notice they intended to give, and it certainly was very rough and improper. He (Mr. Smith) was afraid if he went into the proceedings of Monday it would aggravate the case against the defendants, which he was not desirous of doing. Mr. Thomas Joseph (who was present) was the manager of the company, and he was desirous peace should be preserved, and he -vould be satisfied, if their worships thought such a course would be consistent with their duty, to have them bound over to keep the peace for some considerable period. It was a matter for the Bench, so far as the prosecutors were con- cerned, as they had no desire to act too harshly towards the men. It was certainly a most improper proceeding, and had resulted in much loss to the company, as the work was now, in fact, stopped. The colliers, no doubt, were at work, but then those men, who were principally hauliers, caused their part of the work to be stopped, in consequence of which the company would suffer severely. The mis- conduct was renewed on Monday morning, and it was only by the presence of a number of policemen and the cool and collected conduct of the officer who was there—who stood the rage of one hundred of these fellows—and also the application for this summons, which took place yester- day, that the riot was stopped. This morning all was again quiet. Therefore, if their worships thought it suf- ficient, the proprietors would be satisfied if the men were bound over to keep the peace for some long period. As far as they themselves were concerned they believed the object would be accomplished by their being bound over to keep the peace. He (Mr. Smith) had all the witnesses here, and if the Bench would wish to hear them he could examine them. His Worship I have consulted with Mr. Davies, and we think the boy may be looked upon as a mere instrument in the hands of others, and it is not worth while now to punish him. The boy was then discharged, and His Worship proceeded to say the Bench had such a strong feeling in favour of the freedom of labour, and the right of every man to use his freedom in seeking work, that he was afraid they would find it hard to accede to the sug- gestion of the prosecutors in this case. At the same time, they toped this was an isolated case—a case that had arisen in a remote valley, having no connection with any other case, and that as it had arisen, so might it terminate —a solitary case standing by itself. In that hope, and at- taching, of course, much weight to the suggestion of the prosecution, and believing that if they acceded to that sug- gestion no harm to the public would accrue, they adopted the proposed course, and called upon the defendants to find a surety each in the sum of £5 for their good behaviour for the next twelve months, and also be bound of themselves in their recognizances to the same amount. In default of their finding such surety, the Bench thought it necessary they should be committed until they did find such. With regard to the little boy, they thought he was probably led by those who knew better, and, probably, such evil influ- ence was brought to bear on him that he could hardly be considered as a free agent in the affair. They now warned him never again to allow anyone to urge him into such actions, and they hoped this would be a warning to him for life. The required sureties were found. Cattle Plague Case.—In the case of Rees Beynon, his Worship said -.—With regard to Beynon's case, I was pre- sent at the Petty Sessions at Neath on Friday, and con- sulted with the magistrates present, and also the superin- tendent of police. They both concurred in telling me that they have, from time to time, made arrangements for in- specting cattle in that district, and even now they still continue to do so, and intend to do so owing to the diffi- culties arising in arresting the progress of trains at certain points, where they otherwise would have wished to inspect cattle. Under these circumstances, I think it may be con- sidered that Beynon did not offend against the regulations, and I dismiss the case.

TREDEGAR PETTY SESSIONS.

MERTHYR COUNTY COURT.

PENDERYN PETTY SESSIONS.

REVIEW.

LOCAL RAILWAY TIME TABLES.