The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1900-07-21 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

FREE FIGHT BETWEEN LADIES.  COMICAL CASE AT THE POLICE COURT  At the Borough Police Court yesterday, be-1 fore Messrs. O. W. Atkin and J. H. Worthington, a summons was heard in which the defendant, Elizabeth Elliott. a young lesh= woluan,-Wf 88, 'Balls-road Bast, was with having assaulted Sarah Pritchard.' housekeeper, at 23, ltidley-street. Mr. Cecil Holden (of Messrs. Cecil Holden I and Cotton) appeared for the complainant* and stated that about a quarter-past-nine oa the evening of Friday, the 13th inst., the plaintiff and a lady companion, Miss Davis, by name, were standing at the corner of Ridley-street and Oxtan-road. The defend- I ant passed, and, without the slightest provecation, said to Miss Pritchard, 'You —1 thing, you have got one at last." No notice' was taken of this remark, and the defendant proceeded to her stepmother's house in Ridley-street, which was almost opposite the house where Miss Pritchard melded. A few minutes later, when passing down the street with Miss Pritchard, Miss Davies said to the defendant "What was the matter with you, woman? Why don't you leave the girl alone?" The defendant's reply was, "I will murder you both, you —Welsh thing," and then, turning to her stepmother, who had appeared on the scene, the defendant asked her to hold a parcel she was carrying; upon which she gave her baby, which was with her, to her husband, who had just arrived. Being then clear for action, she made for the complainant and her friend. She took on ...les Davies first; whe gave her two or three smacks in the face, and then—as was I to be expected in the ordinary Lonnie of fights between females—seized her by the hair, and kicked her and otherwise mal-1 treated her. Then she turned to the plaintiff, and after saying "I will kick you, you —Weigh devil," proceeded to go for her. She tried to scratch Miss Pritchard in the face, but, failing to do so, she seized her by the hair and banged her head against the wall. The husband of the defendant stood , by and exhorted his wife to go on and give the plaintiff a good ehrashing. Then, when the trouble was over the defendant said to her husband "Why didn't you help me. Bill?" and the man replied, "How could I when I had the baby in my arms?' The defendant and her party then retired, and the proceedings closed. 'fhis, M. Holden contended, was about as gross and az aggravated an assault as had ever come before the court, and had been entirely unprovoked. The plaintiff and hercompanion were then walled, and bore out Mr. Holden's statements. Other witnesses spoke to having seen defendant attack Mies Pritchard. The defendant was then called upon to explain her conduit. She denied haying knocked Mies Pritchard's head against the ' wall. "I never got a chance," she said, "the woman ran away. It was the other one I hit," The plaintiff and her companion had laughed at her as she passed, and bad provoked her. The step-mother of the defendant also gave evidence. She denied that her daughter had banged Miss Pritchard's head against the wall. She never got the opportunity; 60 soon as she saw her coming the plaintiff gave a scream and ran away. Miss Pritchard, the witness added, bad been her neighbour for three years, but they had never spoken to one another daring the whole of that time. A fine of be.. including costs, or seven days, was imposed.