From the Whitstable Times, 18 January, 1902.

PETTY SESSIONS —TUESDAY.

Two young men belonging to Willesborough, and named Samuel Newnham and Stephen Mepstead, were summoned for assaulting Elizabeth Stanley (mother of Arthur E H Stanley) and Kate Elizabeth Moseley, of the same place, on the night of December 27th. Mr. Poncia (Messrs. Mowll and Mowll) appeared for the complainants, and Mr. B. C. Drake defended.

The case occupied a very long time, and the evidence was very contradictory. The women stated that they were going home from a party at the “Crown and Anchor Inn,” South Willesborough, when the two young fellows set on to them, and knocked them down, inflicting several rather severe injuries. They alleged no reason for the act, but it was assumed the men made a mistake, and took them for some one else. The complainants also stated that the defendants had called the next day and apologised, as well as offering to pay all the expenses that had been incurred, if they agreed not to take the matter into Court. A witness was called on the side of the complainants, who said he saw Newnham knock one of the women down. Both men gave evidence on their own behalf, and they both characterised one of the women and their witness as lies, alleging that one of the women simply fell down through the road being in a frosty state, and then, as they happened to he near at hand, accused them of knocking her down. They also strenuously denied the suggestion that they had ever admitted to the women that they had done anything, saying that when they called the next day they merely expressed their regret if any one had been hurt by the fall. It was not true to say they had ever agreed to pay any expenses if the case were not proceeded with. In the end the bench decided to give the defendants the benefit of the doubt, and dismissed the summonses, each side having to pay their own costs. The ladies had each to find 8s.,and the gentlemen 4s.