Mexborough and Swinton Times March 9, 1928

Ugly Weapon.
Razor Used In Mexborough Street Incident.
“Windy” Witness.

George Goddard, miner, Belmont Street, Mexboro’, was at Doncaster on Tuesday sent to prison for six months with hard labour for having unlawfully wounded William A. L. Blaney.

Supt. Minty said that although the wound was not serious the manner in which it was inflicted made the case a serious one. The defendant was well known in Mexboro’; he was connected with racing and was known as a racecourse —-

Mr. G. S. Ward (defending): I object. No man is entitled to prejudice this court by saying what this man is or is not. He is only entitled to state the case. He is not entitled to poison any man’s mind.

Supt. Minty said he was describing Goddard’s occupation.

Continuing, Supt. Minty said: that at 10-20 p.m. on March 3, William Arthur Lawrence Blaney, miner, of Mexboro’, was talking to a man named Humphries near to the Main Street W.M.C. at Mexboro’ when Goddard came along and spoke to Humphries. At the same time he reeled into Blaney. The latter said to him in a friendly tone, “Hold up.” Goddard was drunk, or appeared to be. Blaney then saw that Goddard had a white-handled razor in his hand, with which he tried to strike Blaney. He tried a second time and cut him just under the chin, inflicting a wound an inch long. Shortly afterwards Blaney was found holding his chin in his hand by a Mr. Winstanley, who took Blaney into the Main Street W.M.C. and bathed his face. He was later allowed to go home.

Defendant was arrested at 1-45 a.m. on Sunday, and was then sober. He said he did not remember what he had done. Subsequently defendant said “I brought the razor out with me to have it ground at Sheffield.” The police made inquiries about the razor, but they could not find it. The same morning it was brought to the police station by defendant’s wife. There was no provocation in any shape or form. It was a most dangerous thing to use on any person, but the worst feature of the case was that since the assault witnesses had been intimidated to such an extent that even Humphries would not attend court.

Mr. Ward: Humphries is in court.

Supt. Minty: Blaney has been threatened with personal violence unless he attended court and said that no razor was used. Is that so?

Blaney: During the last three days there have been some men looking for me, and they have been to my home.

Asked what he thought of the assault, Blaney said he thought it was a mere accident.

Mr. Pettifer (magistrates’ clerk): The Bench are to try that.

Blaney said he lived at 5, Simpson’s Place, Mexboro’, and was a miner. On Saturday he was talking to Humphries about his work, and they were standing near to the Main Street Club. Goddard came up to them and asked: “Where’s our Fred?” Witness said he had gone away. Goddard was under the influence of drink and rolled into witness. Blaney said: “Hold up Juddy; it’s all right.” He then saw what he thought were two pieces of wood in defendant’s hands but later found out it was a razor.

Defendant struck twice at witness, missing the first time, but cutting his chin the second time. They were quick upward blows. After witness had been struck defendant walked away with Humphries, and witness said goodnight to them. He put his hand to his chin and found it was bleeding. Immediately aft Mr. Winstanley came up and asked him why his chin was bleeding. He was taken to the Main Street Club and had it washed. Witness treated it as merely, nothing. It was not serious.

In reply to Supt. Minty witness said defendant had done nothing to intimidate him.

Supt. Minty: Has anyone else?—Yes. Two persons.

Who are they?

Witness refused to give the names out in court, but they were written down on a pad.

Supt. Minty: You have no need to be frightened, you are under the protection of the police.

Witness said he met the two men in the South Yorkshire Hotel, Mexboro’, on Sunday morning, as he had been told that someone wanted him there. Defendant was with the two men.

Supt. Minty: Did anyone treat you?—Yes. It was either Goddard or Thompson.

Did you go down to the South Yorkshire knowing what had taken place?—Yes I was a bit windy.”

You are a bit “windy” even now?—Yes.

You came here a most unwilling witness? —Yes.

Because of the threats held out to you? – Yes.

Were you told not to come here and give evidence?–I was to have a lively time if I did.

And you naturally expect to have a lively time if they carry out their threats? — Yes

Is it a practice at Mexboro’ with this class of men to walk about on a Saturday night with open razors in their hands?—No.

William Winstanley, headmaster, of the Dolcliffe Road Schools, Mexboro’, and a member of the Mexboro’ Urban District Council, said that on Saturday night he left the Main Street W.M.C., and when about twenty yards away saw Blaney. He was alone and was walking slowly along the road holding his chin. He seemed distressed, and witness looked closely at him, and noticed that he was bleeding at the chin. He took him to the Club and washed the wound. He later reported the matter to the police.

P.s. Duck said that at 11-20 on Saturday night the matter was reported to him, and he made certain inquiries. He interviewed defendant and took him to the Mexboro’ police station, when defendant said. “I don’t remember what I did.” He commenced to try to explain to witness that he had a razor in his possession, and said: “I took the razor out with me to get it toned at Sheffield. I don’t know what I did with it outside. I put it in the cupboard at home.” Defendant was sober and quite normal.

Supt. Minty: Did Humphries refuse to make a statement?—Yes.

Mr. Ward said he was not going to deny that a razor was used. They had to take the mentality of such people as it was. There was no evidence of malice, and there was no grievous bodily injury. They had no evidence that the scratch was the result of a blow; it was merely an accidental result of defendant’s reeling.

George Alfred Goddard said he had a razor in his possession when he left the Saturday, and 110 was taking it to have it ground in Sheffield. He had arranged to meet a friend in Sheffield, but missed the train. He did not go to Sheffield that night. Blaney and Humphries were personal friends of his.

Supt. Minty: Do you know Mark Thompson?—Yes.

Do you know a man called Wright?—No.

You have told this court that you are a miner?—Yes.

You are a miner in the winter months?—No. I am a miner all the season through.

How long is it since you gave up attending race courses?—Since the strike. I started work before the strike finished so as to get a job.

Do you know the Sheffield gangs?—No. I have read about them in the papers.

Do you associate with them?—No.

You have associated with Mark Thompson? —Not away from home.

You were with him last Sunday morning? —I was in the South Yorkshire Hotel.

Was Thompson there?—Yes.

Did you send for Blaney —No.

Did he come?—Yes.

Don’t you think you are extremely fortunate not to be here to-day charged with a capital crime?—It would have been an accident.

Mr Ward said that Goddard had been employed since before the strike finished.

After a consultation the Chairman of the Bench, Mr. G. B. Shiffner, said there would be a conviction.

Mr. Ward said he was not going to say that Goddard had not been a member of the racecourse gangs. He was a member until two years ago, but since then his record had been a good one, and he had worked regularly. He had tried to go straight, and had very substantially improved.

The Chairman: Well, Goddard, the Bench think it was a most deliberate assault. We intend to deal severely with this case. There are a great many of these cases in Sheffield and Mexboro’. The witnesses will be protected by the police.