Radnorshire Standard – Wednesday 7th February 1900
WANTON WORDS AND WASTE OF WATER.
At the Knighton Police Court on Thursday before Mr F Edwards (in the chair) and other magistrates. Gertrude Davies, married woman, Llangunllo, summoned Sarah Ann Evans, married woman, of the same village, for assaulting her at Llanganllo on the 22nd January. There was a cross examination in which Sarah Ann Evans charged Gertrude Davies with a similar offence, and a third summons issued by the police against Gertrude Davies. Mr Careless (Llandrindod) appeared for Mrs Evans, and Mr. Moseley (Llandrindod) for Mrs Davies. Both cases were heard together. Mr. Moseley opened for his client, briefly stating the facts, and then called, Sarah Ann Evans, Who said: I live at Llangunllo, and am a married woman. Mrs Davies lives next to me. On January 22nd I saw her throwing water down the passage in front of my house. She had thrown three bucketfuls out of the tub and was throwing a fourth when I forbid her doing so as I wanted the water for washing with. She said she would have it in defiance of me as it was “free from the skies,” and belonged as much to her as to me. I then stood by the tub, and she pushed me over, bruising my arm, the marks are there now. Before I could get up she threw the tub of water over, and it ran into my house. I told her I would go for the police. She then took hold of me again, and I own up, I did push her down in self-defence. She bit me on the finger of the right hand, and I fetched the police at once. I said I would take her to Knighton over it. Next night she insulted me in the presence of the policeman, and called me an old –, a thief, and a liar. She (witness) was struck first. Mr Moseley: Perhaps your worship can understand the other case now. Cross examined by Mr Careless: Before ten I had dragged some wood up the pathway. We have a right-of-way there. The water butt is on a corner near her house. She need not stand on my ground to get water. She did not say she was getting water to swill the dirt from the wood away. The bucket was in the tub. I did not take hold of it to try and wrench it out of her hand. She was on the path above. She said she would have the water in defiance of me. We were wrangling, and both fell down. I hit her before she bit my finger, and had my hand on her holding her down. She first pushed me down because I forbid her to take the water. I did afterwards accuse her of taking breakfast up to a man’s bed, By Mr Moseley: The water was in my own tub, and on my own premises. P C Charles Rogers said he was stationed at Llangunllo. On the 22nd he saw the last witness, and went with her to her house, she said Mrs Evans had assaulted her, and pushed her tub over. Her arm was bleeding. He saw her again on the night of the 23rd, when Mrs Davies said she wanted “a pick and shovel about her back.” Mrs Davies called her names. Mr Careless: Mrs Davies is not charged with any other offence on that day. She is simply charged with assault. I have nothing to ask. It was simply a quarrel between two neighbours. I shall now put client in the box to give her version, and submit there was no assault by her. Gertrude Davies said: I live at Llangunllo. On the 22nd January I saw my neighbour Mrs Evans picking up sticks. I went after water to swill her dirt away, and when I went for another bucketful she seized the bucket out of my hand and as she pushed against me the tub went over. She went after the bucket and placed it on the ground, and then and there ran at me with main force. I pushed her down, but she got up and knocked me down —(laughter). My face was to the ground and she held me with her arm on my neck, and I bit her finger in self-defence as I could not get up. She got hold of me, and we both went down together again. She then got up and went for the police and P.C. Rogers came and got between us. I did not strike her, but pushed her. She accused me of taking a man’s breakfast up to bed, and I told her she ought to be ashamed to say so, as I only took a cup of tea to my lodger who could not get up because he had sprained his ankle. By Mr Moseley: The tub was at the end of her house, and not on my premises. I took three bucketfuls away to swill the place down. She had not swept it after the sticks. I said she ought to have a pick and shovel about her back—yard I meant—(great laughteo—to clear this dirt away. Mr Careless called Mrs Elizabeth Hamar and Mrs Alice Lowe, both of Llangunllo, who stated Mrs Davies was a a tidy, respectable woman. The Chairman said the case ought not to have been brought into court at all. One woman was provoked by a mess being made and the other resalted it, and this led to an undue familiarity with the water butt. Both cases would be dismissed. The police case was taken in which Gertrude Davies Uncle was charged by P.C. Rogers for making a loud noise on the 23rd January, to the annoyance of her neighbours in contravention of a bye law of the Radnorshire County Council. Mr Careless again appeared for the defendant. PC Rogers said that at 9-15 on the 23rd January, defendant’s husband came to his house and complained that Mrs Evans had accused him of stealing wood. The defendant then came out, and asked him to search her own house, but he declined as no one had accused her. She then called Mrs Evans the names mentioned, and witness told her to stop. She shouted very loud, and continued for about half an hour. Witness must say that on this night she had no provocation as far as be could tell. By Mr Careless: She was on the highway, not on the pathway when she used the language. Mr Careless: Now come Witness: Come where you like. I know better than you. . _ . _ . _ Mr Careless: This conduct is flippant. I have quite a right to cross-examine you. Witness, continuing, said after he had cautioned Mrs Davies, she went into her house and back again- Mr Careless (to the Bench): According to the byelaws the offence must be after the constable has cautioned her, and after that she went on to the footpath. It might be a nuisance in a populous plane like Knighton, but not in a village like Llangunllo. PC Rogers said be had only mentioned the language she used when on the highway. Mr Careless: But after he cautioned her she went on the footpath. PC Rogers: She came on the highway again. The Chairman said they considered the case was connected with the summonses just heard, and had resulted from the quarrel of the day before. Very often ladies’ feelings overcame them. The case would be dismissed. READERS PLEASE NOTE AND THEN ACT.— Every effort is, and will be, made to make the RADNORSHIRE STANDARD a bright and readable news paper. Readers can greatly help us in this respect by sending in communications. 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