Leigh Chronicle – Friday 20 December 1889
Nine boys named Schofield Jackson, Charles Jackson, Thomas Haverty, James Haverty, Henry Dalton, James Dalton, Joseph Dalton, James Millington, and Ernest Naylor, were charged with assaulting Thomas Dutton at Burtonwood by throwing stones on the 17th ult. Mr. H. L. Riley prosecuted, and Mr. Jenkins defended.
Mr. Riley stated that his client had been a witness in several cases in which Burtonwood boys were interested, and in consequence of that he seemed to have become obnoxious to the boys who formed something like a small riot. On Sunday evening, the 17th ult., he had occasion to go to the railway station. On the road to and from the station he was attacked by the boys who commenced calling him names and then stoned him. He caught several boys who gave the names of all the defendants.
After this had been done another organised attack was made on Mr. Dutton, when in company with the railway booking clerk, the latter receiving a severe blow from a stone.
Amongst the remarks made by the boys was “Dutton, how’s your mutton.” (Laughter) Henry Singleton, booking-clerk at the station, deposed to hearing the boys call prosecutor names, and seeing a stone thrown which hit him on the leg.
William Hewett who said “he knew nothing about the case,” admitted that Charles Jackson (one of the boys) told him that if Dutton summoned them they would never leave Collins Green alive.
Mr. Jenkins called James Gornall, collier, who stated that prosecutor “hissed” the dog on to the boys, and “afterwards dragged one of the boys along like a sack.”
John Williams, an employee of Mr. Jackson, father of one of the boys denied that there was any stone-throwing or molestation. — A cross-summons was then heard in which Joseph and James Dalton charged Dutton with attempting to strike them and setting the dog at them. — After a long hearing the Chairman announced that the boys would each be fined 5s. and costs, or 7 days, and the cross summons against Dutton would be dismissed.
