Printed 29 August 1903.
The manner in which some walking matches are arranged was explained in the case in which Evan Thomas, landlord of the Hendrewen Hotel, Treherbert, was charged with a breach of the Sunday Closing Act.
P.O. Rees told how he and P .C.’s Grubberman and Griffin visited the hotel on Sunday evening, the 16th inst., and in the parlour they found four men seated near a table. They gave their names as David Todd Jones, River Row; Morgan Morgan, Corner House; David Eynon, Welcome Home; and Dd. Rees, 161, Dumfries Street, all of Treherbert.
Jones, Morgan and Eynon each had a sleever of beer in front of them, while Rees had a glass of beer. When asked what were they doing there, they all replied that they had gone there to arrange a walking match which was to take place the following day. When the landlord entered the room with P.C. Grubberman, he was asked why he allowed the men there, and he replied: “They are my friends. They have been here to tea and have only come into this room to have a glass of beer. If you care to go into the kitchen you will find the things on the table now.” The men went out in a few seconds.
A visit was made to the kitchen, but nothing was found on the table with the exception of the tablecloth. On leaving the house the landlord stated “There is a walking match coming off here tomorrow, and I am one of the judges.”
But he did not know at what time the match was to be held. Mr. James Phillips, solicitor, defended, and put in a placard announcing the match, showing that Todd Jones was the chairman of the committee, and David Rees the secretary. Morgan and Eynon were also on the committee, but their names did not appear on the bill.
In cross-examination, P.C’. Rees admitted that the room in which the men were was facing the main road, and they (the policemen) could have looked in if they wished. P.C. Grubberman corroborated r. Rees’ statement, and in cross-examination said the men had had no communication with the landlord from the time of the arrival of the police until their departure, when defendant said he was to be one of the judges.
Mr. Phillips said there seemed to be an impression abroad that a licensed victualler could not entertain his friends. He, was, of course, in the same position as a private individual and could entertain his friends if he chose to. He had, however, advised the Licensed Victuallers’ Association if they were going to have friends there to notify the police, and then everything would be alright. In this case the four men were friends of the defendant and had been there to tea, and the reason why the crockery was not seen on the table was that it had only just been removed by the females of the house.
The men had gone there to ask Mr. Thomas to become one of the judges of the walking match, and they themselves were officials of the affair. They were entertained by the landlord at his own expense. Without asking Mr. Phillips to call evidence for the defence, the Bench stated that the majority of the jury thought a prima facie case had not been made out, and dismissed it.
