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Unlawful Wounding Case – Serious Charge against miners

November 1909

Yorkshire evening Post November 15, 1909

Unlawful Wounding Case at Doncaster
Prosecutors Denials in the Box

A remarkable case of alleged unlawful wounding with glass bottles was investigated at Doncaster today.

Defendants were Hugh Flannery, Joseph Cocklin, and William Hayes, miners, of Bolton on Dearne, and the prosecutor Patrick Killgallan also a miner. Mr Frank Allen defended

Dr W Tom, Bolton on Dearne, stated that on the night of 21 October he went to the house of James Cryne, when he found Patrick Killgallan suffering from five wounds on the head.

Superintendent Hicks: Were they serious wounds? – Very serious, especially one on the forehead.

Was Killgallan’s life in danger? – Yes, if complications had arisen

Witness added that prosecutor was removed to the Mexborough hospital, and was not able to leave until last Friday. In one of the wounds he found small bits of glass.

The prosecutor, in his evidence, said that as he was going to Cryne’s house Cocklin threw a bottle at him, which struck him on the head and knocked him down. He got up, when Hayes threw a bottle at him, and knocked him down again. It hit him on the side of the head. When he was down Hayes threw another bottle at him, whioch hit him on the head. Cochrane kicked him in the ribs, and Flannery swung a bottle, which struck him on the forehead.

Cross-examined, prosecuted denied that he had ever assaulted any of the defendants with a poker. He had never said he would lay Cocklin or Flannery out for a sovereign.

Prosecutor was cross-examined about cases which had come before the magistrates, in which some of the parties and witnesses in this case were concerned, but he denied having anything to do with them, said he knew nothing about them.

The court then adjourned