Newspaper reports relating to Hipperholme Flower Show

Assaulting an Exhibitor at Hipperholme Flower Show
and Resort of the Latter to Firearms.

Thomas Walker, George Mitchell & George Gledhill were charged with unlawfully assaulting and beating James Hinchcliffe (who appeared with a dreadful black eye).

The complainant, who lived in Lightcliffe, had exhibited some produce at the Hipperholme show.

After the marquee closed, he repaired to the Travellers' Rest Inn, Hipperholme opposite. Walker and Gledhill were there drinking. Walker wanted the complainant to give him a stick of celery which he had exhibited but the complainant refused for he intended to eat it himself. He did, however, offer to give Walker a stick if he came to his house the next day. Complainant walked about 120 yards from the pub when three men came up to him and began to pull his basket about. Complainant said

I will not stand for this and before you have anything from my basket you shall have the insider of this pistol

which he produced from his pocket.

Mitchell and Gledhill wrestled the pistol from him. A scuffle then broke out resulting in Gledhill standing with the loaded pistol in his hand. The men then left after kicking the basket into the road.

Complainant had during the scuffle held the loaded pistol out and opposite Gledhill and pulled the trigger twice but it missed fire.

The men agreed to attend in court without being summoned and said the incident was only a bit of a lark, nothing more than a spree. The magistrates agreed to discharge Gledhill as there was no evidence against him. With regard to the two others the bench would not convict them, but charge them with expenses only. He (Mr Waterhouse) would not be doing his duty were he to refrain from speaking in the strongest terms against the custom or habit of carrying loaded weapons in his pocket. The complainant had intended to shoot those men, one of them (Walker) being his nephew.

This must be a lesson for the complainant, he must never, ever, in future carry such a dangerous weapon as a loaded pistol.

The expenses were 11/- for each defendant