Serious assault in a shale mine, 1872

SERIOUS ASSAULT IN A SHALE PIT.

At the Sheriff Summary Court, Edinburgh, on Saturday, before Sheriff Hallard, Donald McKay and Alexander McKenna were charged with assaulting John Demsie, signalman in No. 2 shale pit, Addiewell. From the evidence it appeared that Demsie was responsible for the working of the cages sent up from the pit bottom. The prisoners who are "drawers", and bound to obey Demsie, came to the pit bottom with some hutches filled with shale, and, after having been forbidden to do so, shoved the hutches on to the cage, notwithstanding that Demsie had signalled to the engineer at the top that the cage was coming up with men. Demsie, after a struggle, got the hutches out of the cage, when the prisoners attacked him with great ferocity, knocking him down and unmercifully beating him. The Sheriff said this was not an ordinary case of assault; it was also a breach of discipline, where human life was endangered by the conduct of the accused; and as it was essential that an example should be made to prevent the recurrence of a similar offence, he sentenced each of the prisoners to thirty days' imprisonment.

The Falkirk Herald, 27th June 1872.