Denton Examiner, Audenshaw, Hooley Hill and Dukinfield Advertiser. — 1877-06-02 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

EXCURSIONISTS. At a special pet tyseesion of county magistrates for the Lindsey division of Lancashire, held on Tuesday, at the County Police-station, Grimsby, John Smith, 18 years of age, residing at Ardwick Manchester, was c barged with stealing five crabs, of the value of 2s. 6d., the property of James Knight, at Cleetho rpes, on Friday last. The prisoner, who was one of a large party of excursionists from Manchester to Grimsby and Cleethorpes went during the afternoon to the Dolphin Hotel where the prosecutor, a shell-fish dealer, was selling crabs. The prisoner, who was accompanied by a number of other youths, took five crabs from the prosecutor's basket and handed them to some of the party who made off with them. The prisoner, on being asked to pay for the five crabs, replied that he would pay the prosecutor across the eyes and nose for them, and then ran off. The prosecutor followed him and whilst he was absent the rest of the party helped themselves to two score of crabs and decamped. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to seven days' hard labour, the lightness of the sentence being owing to the additional punishment inflicted upon him in the following case. John Smith (prisoner in the above case,)ltalph Marti .o, and William Holcroft, all of Ardwick. was charged with having assaulted the police whilst in the execution of their duty at Cleothorp es on Friday last. The prisoner Smith was giver, into the custody of the police for stealing crabs,, and was being removed to the police station when a large number of excursionists gathered round the police and attempted to rescue him. The police were Beverly. handled, several of them sustaining cuts and bruises more or less serious and had it not been for the assistance rendered. them by the inhabitants it is believed that more serious consequences would have resulted. Smith and the other two prisoners were indentified as being ringleaders of the rioters, and they were each fined fle, Mending costs, or one month's imprisonment. The fines were paid for Holcroft and Martin. Smith want to Lincoln Gaol.  MURDEROUS ATTACK UP4iN A  GAIL KEE PE a.  Two Hatfield men, named David Flatters and Henry Batty, were brongat before the Doncaster county magistrates on saturdav, charged with lawfully wounding WABarri Center, gamekeeper, with intent to do him gnetnus bodily harm, at Awkley, on the previous night, at about eight o'clock. Coates saw the two pH, octers and another man. not in custody, at a plane called Sandwith Hill, where Ilia 'neater (Captain /vantage) haft the shooting. They were epparently "ferreting," and caught some rabbits, which they concealed in a bush close by Coate& then wenl up to them for the purpoae of ascertaining their names, when Batty aim the man not in ougtody tau away. len. mediately afterwards, Flatters, who had concealed himself, jumped up from behind a hush sod attacked the kecper with th- butt end of his gun, striking him heavily with it oe the top of the bean, .everal Icurful blows at aim. He srin very much Injured, and loot a greet deal of blood. S coral pelsons o me to Centre's assiatance, also natters made off, but was appreheoded in hie house at four o'c oak on Saturday morning Superintendent Todd said Coates had a wound on hia bead between two and three inches long, and a quarter of an inch deep.. The bench commuted Flatten, who ouly pleaded that he had a large lawny, for trial for unlawfully wounding. Batty was remanded for a week, that bench expreseing an optuion, however, that there was no Callo against him save for trespassing,