1872 Free Press

March 2nd 

Goytrey Church – an evening service was held on Thanksgiving Day. The Rector, Thomas Evans preached an appropriate sermon from the 85th psalm, 1st verse, “Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land; Thou has brought back the captivity of Jacob.” Suitable hymns were excellently sung by the choir, Mrs Evans presiding at the organ.

March 30th – A Queer Way of Taking Care of a Baby
Elizabeth Taylor, aged 15 years, was charged with stealing several articles of wearing apparel, the property of John Morgan of Goytre.
She said her mistress had given h er the things.
Mrs Morgan despised that on March 21st she missed a dress-hat, a bonnet and an apron. The prisoner, who was in her service, was sent to take the baby for a walk; a witness afterwards found the baby lying in the dung water near the cow house and the prisoner had de-camped.
She did not give the prisoner any of these things.
PC Williams 42, deposed he found the things at the prisoners house in Coedygrig. He asked for the articles and the prisoner gave him them saying that she did not steal them; her mistress had given them to her.
Mrs Morgan said that the girl had several times said she would cut the baby’s head off and so forth.
Committed to the house of correction for 14 days.

August 24th  – Police Court 

Wages
Henry Mathews, of Goytrey, was summoned for non-payment of wages due to Geo. Roberts.
He said he owed 7s; whereas Roberts claimed 13s 11d. The Bench ordered the amount claimed with costs.

November 16th – Prize fight

Prize fight took place at Goytrey on Friday last between two Pontypool men who had made arrangements with so much secrecy that the police knew nothing of the affair until it actually took place.
The combatants were Daniel Desmond, a pugilist and Thomas Fletcher, a smith and the contest seemed to have arisen out of a row in George Street some time ago.
These men, in a field belonging to a farmer named Probert, hammered away at each other for two hours and a quarter, in which time 101 “rounds” occurred. The stake was to be £10.
Fletcher, who sprained his wrist some time since, sustained a renewed of the sprain but kept on until Desmond’s head was “as big as a bushel” Desmond aiming to take the use of his opponents sound arm.
We are told that the disgraceful affair ended in a “draw” as the backers would not consent to the men fighting any longer. Principals, backers and spectators are to figure at the Police Court on Saturday.

November 23rd – Prize Fight at Goytrey
Daniel Desmond, (who did not appear) Thomas Fletcher, John Littlehales, Edward Farr, John Wise, Alfred Farr, John Roberts, James Fletcher and Henry Jordan were charged with unlawfully assembling in the parish of Goytrey and creating a breach of the peace; Desmond and Fletcher, being principals in the fight and the rest by aiding and abetting by being present.
PC Basham proved service of the summons on Desmond. Roberts and Jordan pleaded not guilty.
John Gwatkin despised that on November 8th he saw the fight; did not see Roberts and Jordan there; it was between 7 and 8 o’clock in the morning.
PC Williams disposed that he saw all defendants, except Alfred Farr at the place, or coming away in the train.
Thomas Jeremiah despised that he saw the fight at a distance, but did not see whether anyone was seconding the principals or not. Did not see Roberts or Jordan there.
Jordan said he should have liked to see the fight very well; but he did not see it.
Charles Rudman was called as a witness but did not answer. It was said he was out posting and Superintendent M’Tosh said, that if that was the case, he must ask for an adjournment for a week against Roberts and Jordan. This was agreed to.
Col. Byrde said that these fights were a disgrace to the community in which the occurred. The Bench had the power of sending the defendants for trial at the quarter sessions. They did not desire to do so on the present occasion, but at the same time they must take measures that would prevent a recurrence of such disgraceful scenes in future.
Thomas Fletcher was bound over to keep the peace for six months himself in £20 and two sureties, (Thomas Morgan, ironmonger, Abersychan and Stephen Howells, collier, Pontypool) in £10 each and had to pay £1 costs.
A warrant was issued for the apprehension of Desmond. Roberts and Jordan would have to appear again next Saturday. The rest were bound over in £10 each to keep the peace for six months and had to pay 10s each costs.

November 30th – The recent Prize Fight
Henry Jordan, Charles Rudman and John Roberts were charged with aiding and abetting the recent prize fight at Goytrey. Supt. M’Intosh said that Jordan and Roberts were Desmond’s backers, all three now admitted they were at the fight.
In answer to the BenchSupt. M’Intosh said that the party had walked from Pontypool to Goytrey and arrived there at six o’clock in the morning and waited for the day to dawn before they. began operations.
Roberts and Jordan were bound over to keep the peace for six months themselves in £20 each, one with surety each in £10 and had to pay 16d 6d each costs. Rudman was bound over in £10 and had to pay 10s costs.

December 7th  – Stealing a Sovereign
Mary Jane Jones, a little girl nearly 16 years of age who said she came from Blaenafon, but her father was a contractor living in Scotland, pleaded guilty of stealing a sovereign, the property of Edward James Gwatkin at Goytre.
Pc Combes said that the girl’s uncle lived at Blaenafon, she had come from Scotland with out her father’s knowledge and seemed a very naughty little girl, in the habit of stopping out at night and using bad language; her uncle could do nothing with her.
Mrs Gwatkin said that the girl came and asked her for a situation, and as she wanted a girl she took her; she had been in her service about a week when she took a sovereign out of a desk and hid it in a closet in the garden; the girl seemed pretty good otherwise. The Rev. Mr Jones said that the girl was very ignorant and in want of instruction
The Bench sentenced her to one month’s imprisonment and afterwards to be sent to a reformatory school for five years.

 

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