Boys' quarrel is settled in court

William Bean, 15, Heslerton Wold, was summoned at the Scarborough Children's Police Court, with assaulting William Temple Watson, 43 Highfield, Scarborough, on July 20th.

The magistrates on the bench were Mr WS Rowntree (in the chair), Mr W Sayner, and Mr W Boyes.

Defendant pleaded not guilty.

Complainant said defendant came up on Saturday night, July 20th, pulled him off his bicycle, laid him on the road 20 minutes or half an hour “thumping” him.

The Chairman: Did he say anything when he pulled you off?

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Complainant: He said, “You will get something now.” Complainant added that he had previously objected to something he, complainant, had said to his sister.

The Chairman: Did you hit him at all?

Complainant: No, sir.

Tom Leppington said about 9 o’clock on the night in question he was on the Seamer road near to Beaconsfield Street. He saw the two lads. They were then standing in the road arguing. Bean struck Watson four or five times. He dropped on to his knees. Bean let him get up. Watson, who was the bigger lad, never struck back, and witness wondered why he did not.

Esau Watson, the father of complainant, who came up shortly after the blows had been struck, said he spoke to Bean and asked him what his boy had done and he said, “Nothing.”

Mr Watson said his boy had been delicate from birth.

Defendant said he came home on Saturday night and his mother and sister told him that Watson had said something to them about a garden, and he stopped him and told him about it.

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He thought he was going to rush at him, and so he struck him.

The Chairman: You pulled him off the bicycle?

Defendant: Yes.

Defendant added that Watson had always been wanting to get a garden which his mother had converted from grass land. Defendant also said that he had left his place at the farm and joined the army. He was waiting for his warrant. His master had refused to pay him his wages as he left without giving notice.

The Chairman said there had evidently been some dispute going on for some little time. In any case defendant had no business to pull the other boy off his bicycle and strike him.

He would be fined 2s 6d on promising to leave him alone in future.

Defendant: I will if he leaves my sister alone.

The Chairman (to Watson): You will not say any more to the sister.

The Chairman: I hope it will be so.