The Cotton Factory Times. — 1900-08-17 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A MARRIED  MAN. PRISONER ACQUITTED.  On Monday, at the Eccles Borough Police Court, before Alderman N. Parr and other magistrates, a married man named William Clarke, of 5, Eliza Ann-street, Patricroft, was charged on remand with committing a criminal assault upon Catherine Power, 15 years of age, and residing with her parents at Barlow-street, Patricroft, on the .31st ultimo. The prosecutrix on the Ist inst. attempted to commit suicide by throwing herself into the Bridgewater Canal, and when rescued said, "It is all through a man at the mill." On the oharge of attempting to commit suicide being dismissed, the girl applied for a warrant against Clarke, who wa:-; apprehended and brought before the court on Thursday last, and remanded. Mr. Watson said that on July 31st the girl Power was working in the mixing-room, which was only used by girls, in company with another girl named Winifred Hyde. At half-past twelve the girl Hyde left the mixing-room, and the defendant Clarke subsequently seized the girl by the waist and committed the offence complained of. A complaint was made to the carder, and prosecutrix also complained to her mother, who went to see defendant. The mother asked defendant, "What have you been doing to my daughter ?" He replied, "I didn't do her any harm; I was only having a bit of fun with her." The parties were paid off by the manager on the matter getting to his ears, and the girl felt the matter so keenly that she took the extraordinary step of attempting to commit suicide. The prosecutrix bore out this statement, and in reply to the bench said she jumped into the canal because she thought her sisters would be scandalised. It was not because the manager threatened to write her mother on the matter. Dr. llaynes sail he examined the girl on the 10th inst., and there were no marks of violence. Winifred Hyde said when she re-entered the mixing-room after an absence of about five minutes, Power was crying. She told witness what had happened. The day previous, said witness in crossexamination, Power said she would do away with herself because they were always getting on to her at home. She said it would not take many minutes to go down the steps and throw herself into the canal, and that she would do it that night. She had threatened to take her life so often that witness thought nothing about it. She heard prosecutrix tell some women she would do away with herself. Thomas Henry Catlow, the carder, said Power made a complaint to him about twenty minutes to one on the 31st. He saw prisoner, who denied the accusation. On the Wednesday both appeared before the manager and himself, and in reply to the manager prosecutrix said Clarke had not done anything beyond knock her down on some mixing. Clarke said the girl had been cheeky and impudent. He also charged her with indecency on the previous Friday, which was substantiated by a man named Hamer, who threw a screw-key at her because of her conduct. The manager said he would write complainant's mother and give her both sides of the matter.  Further evidence was given by Margaret Power (the mother), Mary Trim, Police-constable Low, and George Marsden, the manager, the latter stating he asked the girl half a dozen times if Clarke had done anything more than push her down, and she said no.  Without calling upon the defence the Bench dismissed the charge.  WHAT WE SAY IS PRUE Snfferers from Gravel, Lumbago, Pains in the Back, Dropsy, Wind and Water Complaints, Diseases of Kidneys, Bladder, Urinary Organs, Stone, Gleet, Stricture, Sciatica, Rheumatism, and Gout, will find a positive care in Ilotroyd's Gravel Pills. Try a small box, and if not satisfied your money will be returned. Price Is. led., of all chemists, or post free 12 stamps from liolroyd's Medical Hall, Cleckhea.ton, Yorks. Don't to be put off. If you cannot get them write at once to the proprietor, and a will be seat pot free.