The following cases were heard at the Stockton Borough Police Court on Monday 4 July 1870. On the bench were the Mayor A C Knowles, Mr R Jackson, Mr R Ord and Mr G Lockwood:
Obstructing the Footpath - John Walker was charged by Sergeant Ayston with obstructing the footpath in the High Street, opposite Mrs Ward's shop on the 20th June 1870. He was fined 5 shillings with costs.
Assaults - Edward Hughes did not appear to a charge of assaulting Rose Ann Hughes, his wife, on 1 July 1870. A warrant was issued for his arrest.
Thomas Finlay was charged with assaulting his father, James Finlay, on 1 July 1870. The defendant admitted the offence but said that he was first struck with a poker. He was fined 10 shillings with costs and ordered to find sureties to keep the peace for six months, himself in £10 and £5 each from two other guarantors.
Attempt to Drown a Child - Margaret Miller was brought up by P.C Lennard for attempting to drown her child on 3 July 1870. She was remanded in custody.
Permitting a Nuisance - George Clarke and George Holmes were summoned by Mr Elcoate for having a defective drain on the property in King Street. Mr Rogers appeared for the defence and applied for an adjournment on the ground that the nuisance was really caused by Dr. Oliver, Bulmer's Trustees or the Board of Health, and that he wished for a fortnight's adjournment to enable a the parties to come to a satisfactory arrangement. The case was adjourned for one week.
Drink - Margaret McCarthy was charged with being drunk and riotous at Portrack on 28th of June. The defendant told a lengthy tale to prove that she was not drunk, but failed to convince the bench, who learnt that this was not her first appearance. She was ordered to pay costs and to keep her tongue quiet.
P.C. Snowden charged Robert Woodham, of Middlesbrough, of being drunk and indecent on 2nd July. The officer had found the prisoner committing a nuisance in the High Street at 5 o'clock on Saturday morning. The prisoner was ordered to pay costs.
P.C. Bowes charged John Burns with being drunk and riotous in Bath Street at ten o'clock on Saturday night. The prisoner was fined 2s 6d and ordered to pay costs.
P.C. Hardcastle charged Jacob Pearson with being drunk and fighting in the fish-market at 10 o'clock on Saturday night. Superintendent Booth proved that the prisoner was drunk but still able to fight. The prisoner was fined 5 shillings with costs or 14 days in Durham Gaol.
P.C. Heslop charged Joseph Thompson with being drunk and riotous in Ramsgate, at Mr Pearson's barber shop, at about 10 o'clock on Saturday night. He was fined 5 shillings with costs.
P.C. Snowden charged William Reid with being drunk and riotous in the Nags Head Yard, Dovecote Street, at ten o'clock on Saturday night He was fined 5 shillings with costs or 14 days hard labour in Durham.
P.C. Cowell charged John Pallery with being drunk and kicking the door of the Model Lodging House in Prince Regent Street at midnight on Saturday. He was fined 5 shillings with costs or 14 days in Durham.
P.C.Maxwell charged Michael Rourke with being drunk and riotus in Ramsgate on Saturday night. He was fined 5 shillings with costs
John Stevenson was brought up by P.C. Henderson who charged him with being drunk and riotous in Thistle Green at about midnight on Saturday night. He was fined 5 shillings with costs or 14 days hard labour.
Ann Millburn appeared with P.C. Heslop who charged her with being drunk and riotous in Hunter's Lane early on Saturday morning. She was fined 5 shillings with costs.
P.C. Snowden charged Robert Tennant with being drunk and riotous in Silver Street and said the prisoner was rattling shutters 'like a lunatic'. Tennant said he was a pile-driver for the North Eastern Railway Co. and was very sorry for his actions. He was ordered to pay 6s.10d, including costs.
The same officer charged James Taylor with being drunk and riotous in Hambletonian Yard early on Sunday morning. The officer had firsy encountered the defendant kicking at the door of a brothel. He was fined 5 shillings and ordered to pay costs.
P.C. Armstrong charged John Turnbull with being drunk and riotous in High Street at nine o'clock on Sunday morning. The defendant said that the officer had behaved 'like a gentleman' and that he was sorry for what had happened He was fined 2s.6d with costs.
P.C. Bowes charged Thomas Cunningham with being drunk and riotous at nine o'clock last night. The prisoner had behaved very badly and resisted arrest all the way to the police station. A long list of previous convictions was handed to the bench. He was fined 10 shillings and ordered to pay costs or go to prison for 14 days.
P.C. Snowden charged William Thomas with being drunk and riotous in the High Street at one o'clock that morning. The prisoner had been heard to say to his companions that 'there was not a bobby in Stockton could lock him up'. The officer then approached him and, as he was drunk and riotous, did lock him up. The prisoner was said to be of very bad character and was fined 10 shillings with costs or 14 days in Durham.
P.C. Cowell charged John Dixon with being drunk and riotous in William Street on 3rd July. The prisoner was fined 5 shillings with costs.
P.C. Hardcastle charged Patrick Mudd with being drunk and riotous. He was fined 10s 6d including costs. Patrick McDed was charged with attempting to rescue the prisoner and assaulting P.C. Hardcastle in Yarm Lane on Sunday night. He was fined 21 shillings including costs or 28 days in Durham.
Assault - Emmanuel Scott charged Martin Carabine with Assaulting him on 1 April. The prisoner had absconded and a warrant had been issued for his arrest. The complainant now wished to withdraw the charge but Superintendent Booth objected to this. The pair had quarrelled over a bogey and the defendant had struck Scott when it was his turn. The mayor said that this incident would be remembered if the defendant ever appeared before him again and dismissed the case on payment of 11 shillings cost.
Just another day at the office for the Stockton Police Court....we'll be publishing more cases in future....
