A truly remarkable meeting was held in Dewsbury on Monday evening, and one that will become historical. It was a special gathering of the members of the Dewsbury Pioneers' Industrial Society Ltd, who were called together to consider a recommendation of the committee that a sum of five hundred pounds be granted out of the reserve to the fund for the relief of the bereaved.

It was clear to an observant eye that the men assembled were, so to speak, in an electrical state. They were full of sympathy for the distressed and some expressed the wish to give more than the £500 recommended.

The President, Mr Thomas Jackson, said it was with feelings of regret and sorrow that they were called together to express their sympathy with those who were in the accident at Thornhill. He said the men in the mine varied in ages from sixty years down to twenty, and there were some as young as twelve, all had been in good health, and then suddenly overtaken by the explosion.

Probably those nearest the pit eye, did not endure the amount of suffering as those further in the workings, for these men there was no escape, and they were bound to stop there to bide it.

Great Comfort To Widows And Orphans

He said great comfort would be given to the wives and children now mourning those dear to them if they knew that they had the sympathy of others and that practical assistance was forthcoming from their hands. (Hear, hear).

Mr. Barstow said he had inspected 130 dead bodies on Thursday and words could not describe the experience. He felt members would feel deeply for those left behind and quickly rise to the occasion and give practical help.

Mr Henry Haigh said the relief committee was trying to raise £21,000 and although it may appear a stiff sum, it was not a penny too muchHe believed that members of the Co-operative societies all over the district, as true Englishmen, would raise their voice and do something to help. He said the catastrophe seemed to have swept away the entire manhood of the whole neighbourhood, and he thought that everyone present at that meeting should vote for the proposed sum being sent from the reserve fund.

The  President said  he was  inclined to go further than what had been proposed. Taking their last quarterly statement into account, he gathered that it took a penny in the pound to make £237. He felt that if they would sacrifice three pence in the pound, he would move they make a grant of £750, (Applause).

Five Shillings A Week For Widows

Mr W. Webb said he had been looking back for the period of ten years and had found that in the Thornhill district they had increased trade at their two branches by nearly £9,000, and from June 1883 to June 1893, the Thornhill and Thornhill Lees branch had done trade amounting to £190,000.

To him those figures spoke as in many languages of the interest their Thornhill brethren had in their society. He was proud they had a fund of their own from which they could relieve their brethren in distress when it was needed. By mailing the grant it would add increased lustre to their society. He seconded the amendment.

The president, said, that, according to the Miners' Association it required £150 per head to relieve cases to the amount of five shillings per week for widows. For children up to thirteen years of age, it would be two shillings per week. The required amount estimated to provide under this system was £21,000.

Mr James Mumford observed that if there ever was a time when working men should stand beside each other, it was that night. (Applause). The afflicted had been true, as members of the Co-op, and it would be a shame if those now assembled did not pass a unanimous vote to give the little children something to eat.
Other emotional speeches followed and after long discussions and various resolutions, members voted unanimously, amidst great applause, to donate £1,000 to the relief fund.

Wife Deserter Ordered To Pay Ten Shillings A Week

Charles Henry Sunderland, a labourer, living at Leeds, but formerly of Morley, was charged at Morley court with deserting his wife and family, who live in Ackroyd Street.

Sunderland’s wife said she had been married to defendant four years, and they had four children. He had left her and she had had to apply for relief. He had sent her different sums, but some had been as low as two shillings.

Ho came home on Saturdays occasionally, sometimes after eleven o'clock at night, but he was often without money. Five weeks last Friday he came home without money, but promised to send her some.

She was confined the following morning, and also had one of the children in bed suffering with inflammation of the lungs, Sunderland, however, never came or sent her anything. He earned thirty shillings a week.

Would Not Leave Mother

Cross-examined, defendant said he had asked his wife to go over to Leeds where he now lived. He had told her he would provide a home for her, but she would not leave her mother. He had taken a house, but had had to give the key up again because she would not came.
Complainant's mother had gone over to Leeds to see him because the children were almost pined for want of food, but he did not give her anything.

Mrs Armitage, complainant's sister, said that when Sunderland had lived with her, she had to make him go because of his drunken habits. He had never maintained his wife and children since he married. She said her husband had got him a job at thirty three shillings a week, at Middleton, but he "chucked" it.

Sunderland said in court that he was only earning twenty five shillings a week, but he would provide for his wife and children at Leeds. An order for him to contribute ten shillings a week to his wife was made.

St James’ Church, Vulcan Road —The annual picnic should have taken place today, but giving to the sad feeling caused by the shocking disaster at Thornhill, and the death of Mr. Dransfield, one of the sidesmen, a much-respected Sunday school teacher, it has been abandoned.

Nine Drowned In Separate Incidents
All Out Bathing In Nice Weather

A number of bathing fatalities have occurred around the country over the weekend, no doubt due to the recent fine weather which has been attracting people to the cool water of rivers and canals.
The Deputy Coroner for Manchester, Mr Smelt, held an inquiry, on Monday, concerning the death of George Connor, aged twelve, of Hulme. On Saturday evening deceased, with other boys, went to bathe in the Bridgewater Canal. Deceased undressed, and was getting into the water, when he remarked that it was too cold. He tried to get back upon the towing path, but a companion, named Michael James Murphy, gave him a push, with the result that he was carried to the middle of the Canal, and there sank. Murphy admitted pushing Connor into the water. A verdict of accidental death was returned.

John Goodall, of the Brewer's Arms, Blackpool, was found drowned on Sunday, having been previously seen bathing.

Drowned Saving Friend

Two privates of the 5th Battalion Connaught Rangers were drowned on Saturday evening whilst bathing at a place called John's Hoole near Boyle. Mr Colvin, superintendent of the Protestant Orphanage at Tralee, was drowned whilst bathing on Saturday night. A young man named Young, whilst bathing in the River Mole, near Dorking, on Saturday evening got out of his depth, and a companion named Tyman, went to his assistance. Both were drowned.

A youth named Dennis, 16 years of age of Abram, was drowned in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Plank Lane, Leigh, on Saturday evening. He dived off one of the bridges, and got Stuck in the mud at the bottom of the canal.

A butler in the employ of Mr. Blackett, of Thorpe, was drowned whilst bathing in the Thames at Egham, on Monday morning.

Yorkshire Show To Be At Dewsbury
Venue Is New Crow Nest Park Over 500 Horses Entered

Members of the Dewsbury Council of the Agricultural Society held a meeting at York, on Thursday to discuss arrangements for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society's Show to be held next month at Dewsbury.

The secretary, Mr Marshall Stephenson, reported that most satisfactory progress had been made in the showyard at Dewsbury, and that all the works were in a forward state.

The site, occupying 45 acres, at the new Crow Nest Park which would be officially opened after the show, was without doubt one of the best ever placed at the disposal of the council in the West Riding.

The local committee at Dewsbury had carried out every requirement of the council, and they had also arranged for a grand-parade of dray horses in their working gear on the last day of the meeting.

They had further voted £30 to augment the amount offered by the Society of Music. The bands engaged were the Yorkshire Dragoons, Dewsbury Old (for two days) and the 1st V.B. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

Sheep And Pigs Exceed Any Previous Meeting

The entry of stock and implements was an excellent one, and horses would be considerably more than over 500. They would occupy fully the space at the disposal of the council.

Cattle were an average entry, and sheep and pigs exceeded any previous meeting. The exhibition of implements would be the largest in the history of the society, all principal firms being represented. Large entries had also been received for the dairying and shoeing-smith's competitions and for bee appliances. The report was unanimously adopted, and satisfaction expressed at the arrangements for the Dewsbury meeting.

Mr William Hill Jnr,
of Slaithwaite Road, Thornhill

A Sickly Spell Is The Saving Of Alma Bates

There are a number of men in Thornhill today who are only too well aware that they too, like their tragic comrades, could at this moment be laid out in the Parochial Hall awaiting burial, among them Alma Bates, who came out of the pit a few hours before the explosion because he felt poorly.

Alma Bates told one of our reporters that he was far from well on Tuesday morning when he left his cottage home at Thornhill Edge, but could not afford to lose a day's pay, and so had decided to go. He went down in the cage with his comrades, but an hour later was too sick to continue working and went home.

Another miner, William Hill Jr, of Slaiththwate Road, Thornhill, whose great grandfather, Mr William Hill, has helped colliery owner, Mr E.T. Ingham, recruit new miners, had worked on an earlier shift and therefore escaped the terrible destiny which befell so many of his friends.

Women In Court Were Drunk And Disorderly
Gases At Dewsbury Bench

Two degraded looking women, named Mary Robinson and Louisa Simpson, were charged with being drunk and riotous on the 2nd inst. Police constable Walton said that at two o'clock on Sunday morning, he found the two women in the yard of a rag warehouse off Bradford Road. They were fast asleep on the top of some bags of rags. On waking them up he found they were intoxicated, and both used very bad language. They were each fined five shillings and costs or seven days' imprisonment.

Foul-Mouthed Women

Catherine Fitzpatrick, a married woman, was charged with using obscene language in New Street, Batley, on the 25th ult. Evidence in support of the charge was given by Catherine Cunningham, Mary Colbeck, Catherine Smith, and a police officer. It showed that the language used by the defendant was most filthy and disgusting. Defendant called two witnesses, but they only made her case worse, and she was fined ten shillings and costs, or fourteen days.

School-Board Summonses

The following were summoned at the Instance of the Dewsbury School Board for neglecting to provide sufficient elementary education for their children:- Louis Goldman, of 96 Back Whitley Street, for Florence Smith, who had made 33 attendances out of a possible 137. A fine of five shillings was imposed.

Albert Gates, of 58 Middle Road, on behalf of Mary Ellen Gates, who had not attended school once out of a possible fifty. An attendance order was made for the child to attend the St Paulinus School.

James Lee, of 15 Elmwood Street, for Florence Lee, who had attended 16 times out of a possible sixty seven. An attendance order was made for her in respect of the Jubilee Board School.

John Haigh, of 97, Low Fold, for Elizabeth Ellen, who attended 68 times out of 120. An attendance order was made for Dewsbury Moor Board School. Ann Yelland, of Back Granville Street, appeared in respect of her son Herbert, who had not attended once out of a possible sixty. She was fined five shillings.

Mary Aveyard, of Upper Road, Batley Carr, appeared for son John Rober who had attended sixty five times out of one hundred and fifteen. Defendant stated that the boy had been ill used at school. Mr. Sharp, school attendance officer, said that defendant had made that complaint to him. Defendant was, however, fined five shillings, including costs.

The Chairman then asked the Clerk to the School Board what school the boy attended and was told it was Carlton Road. The Rev. Waddington was asked to make enquiries into the matter.

Poker And Pots Thrown At Batley Carr

Timothy Carrot, labourer, of Batley Carr, was  charged, at Dewsbury Borough Court, with assaulting Rose Ann Hall on June 25th. Hall had complained that on the day in question defendant had come up to her, while drunk, pulled her by the hair of the head, struck her four times in the face and kicked her. She had two black eyes in consequence. Cross examined she said there was no disturbance going on, and she denied that she was choking a man. She also denied that her brother was kicking the man or that a woman was struck with a poker. Her evidence was corroborated by her brother and by a woman named Annie Brown.

Carrol said he was coming down Carlisle Street and saw the woman, Hall, choking a man named Doyle, whom she had down on the floor. Her brother was kicking him in the belly. Doyle was thumping her in the face, and trying to defend himself.

He told the court that if he had not been there, Hall's brother would have kicked Doyle stone dead. He said all he had done was simply pull the woman off Doyle.

In court, Doyle the woman had him down on the floor by the throat, and her brother was kicking him. Carrol had come along and pulled her off His wife, Mary E Doyle, corroborated his evidence.

The chairman of the bench dismissed the case and told them to go home and behave themselves. Arising out of the same fracas was another charge of assault preferred by Mary E. Doyle against Thomas Brown, Hall's brother.

Mary Doyle said her little girl had come running in home saying that someone was killing her father. She went out, and Thomas Brown took a poker and threw it at her. It struck her in the mouth and made a bad wound. Another witness agreed that this was what had happened and remarked that she saw the poker hit complainant. There were also pots thrown.

For the defence Thomas Brown called his wife, who swore that she cut Mary Doyle's mouth with her fist for calling her a foul name, and added that she would do it again if she called her the same. (Laughter.) This case was also dismissed.

Woman Imprisoned For Seven Days
Caused Trouble At Workhouse

Rebecca Wrigley, a tramp, who said she was seventy-four years of age, was charged with disorderly conduct at the workhouse on the 28th June. The porter, Musgrave, stated that she had made application for admittance into the casual ward.

At the entrance lodge she had refused to give up her luggage, and was under the influence of drink. She created a disturbance, and he was obliged to send for the police.

Police constable Hobson said he went to the workhouse on the day in question to apprehend Wrigley. He heard her make use of bad language towards the master, and she threatened to strike him. Wrigley then pleaded for them to have pity on her.

The Porter said she had been in the workhouse thirteen times this year and was always very awkward when she came in. Wrigley was committed to prison for seven days.

Sykes Walls, also a vagrant, was brought up charged with absconding with workhouse clothing. The porter, after proving the case, remarked that Walls generally came to the workhouse and stayed a week and then went over the wall. The Chief Constable said prisoner had been six times previously convicted. He was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

Subscriptions At Thornhill

The donations and promises of subscriptions received by Mr. Dyson for the relief fund from Thornhill and district includes £I ,000 from Mr. E.T. Ingham, £200 from Lord Savile, and a number of others varying from £50 to two shillings. With the amounts collected in sheets, the total is £2,073 10s 6d.