The Slaithwaite Guardian and Colne Valley News. — 1904-06-10 (Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, England)

MARSDEN MOOR TRAGEDY.  BUCKLEY'S FAMILY CRUELLY  PERSECUT ESL.  At the Oldham Police Court on Saturday last, Alfred Buckley, eon of Henry Buckley, of Sholver Fold, Moorside, Oldham, was summoned by John Crossley (a neighbour) for assault. On the case being called, the complainant asked that all the witnesses should be ordered out of court. Amongst them was the delendant's lather, who last autumn was placed im trial for the Marsden Moor murders.  The complainant stated that on Saturday last wow peewee were throwing stones at his door, end on going out the defendant knocked him down, blacked his eye, and "punched" his leg. Crosd-exatuiued by Mr. Fripp, solieitur for the defence, the complainant denied that he was drunk at the time or that he bad been turned out of the Pullet Inn.  Mr. Fripp—You know the defendant's father was recently brought up on a charge of murder? Complainant—Am I to answer questions that have nothing to do with the case? The Chairman—Answer the questions. Mr. Fripp—You know his father was arrested for murder and discharged ?—Yes. You know that you have never lost an opeur. tunity of telling him en —There's not a lie in a thousand true.  The Chairman—Yon must not talk that way. Mr. Fripp—Bad not you and other persons been perpetually taunting Mrs. Buckley with being a wife of a murderer !—I never have. Has not one of your friends chalked on a hem door, "Harry Ituckloy, tho Ilarbarr. Moor murderer t"---f saw it up six or seven weeks ago. You did not put it up ?—No. On Saturday last did you spealcholkirs. Buckley about 6-30---Yes.  Did you tell her she waa nothing elide but the wife of a murderer p7-No.  . When the defendant Game up to you did you say he we bred of nothing only inur• derers ?—No.  Mr. Fripp, addressing the Bench, said that the defendant's father had the great misfortune of being wrongfully accused of murder, lie was discharged, it being found by the magistrates that there was not a tittle of evidence against him. Instead of trying to assist Mrs. Buckley in her trouble, the foul-monthed scoundrels tried to make the life of the man Buckley and his wife miserable, going so far as to write on a wall, " Harry Buckley, murderer." They never lost an opportunity of accosting Mrs. Buckley with foul epithets, and charging her with being the wife of a murderer, and one of the foulest and most cowardly of Mrs. Etuekley's neighbours had been "that thing there" (pointing his linger,. When drunk he deliberately put himself in the way of Mrs. Buckley, and on Saturday last the young man (defendant) heard disgraceful epithets applied to his mother by this " loul-unoutbed beast." lithe law was to take its course, u man had only a remedy at assize against a "tiling like that." He would make him understand, through his skin and hones, that he could not be allowed to do it, and there was only one way of dealing with them, and that was by treating: them as brutes.  Mr a Buckley aud the tkfendaut gave cvidenco ab.to ppvocation.,..  The'Chairman (Mr. J. Doran) said the Lase was dismissed, and the Bench were only sorry that the complainant had nut been brought up by the police for using bad language. They allowed thc defendant's costs.