More than feathers were ruffled at a meeting of The Irwell Inn, Eccles Pigeon Flying Club when two pigeon fanciers fell out with painful results for both men. Eccles Magistrates Court in January 1923 saw J.W. Robinson who resided at Queen Street, Eccles and John Griffin who resided at Worsley Road, Patricroft in the dock, both men had summoned the other claiming assault. Mr F.H. Watson appearing for Robinson asked for the Court to be cleared of all witnesses before the case could start, possible intimidation? Outlining the case he told the Court that at the request of the Secretary of the Pigeon Flying Club, Robinson with two friends, approached Griffin and asked him for the return of two stop watches that he had borrowed and not returned, Griffin then allegedly lost his temper and hit Robinson on the jaw and both men fell to the floor fighting, Griffin then got Robinson's finger between his teeth and bit it so severely that it later required hospital treatment, blood poisoning set in and the finger later had to be amputated. Robinson said that he required the use of the stop watches and was told by the Secretary to get them from Griffin, words were spoken and a fight broke out in which Griffin bit his finger for some two minutes causing it to be amputated shortly after. Cross examined by Mr Ogden, Robinson denied starting the fight and that he did not know that he had broken Griffin's nose and finger and further denied stamping on his face with his clogs! Mr Donohue the Club Secretary told the Court that the stop watches did belong to him and that he had asked Mr Robinson to ask Mr griffin to return them...was he possibly scared of Griffin? John Egan who lived at Chandlers Square told Mr Ogden that he was with Robinson when he asked Griffin for the stop watches, both men were arguing but it was Griffin who said they should go outside on Salters Lane and fight, he denied seeing Robinson stamp on Griffin's face and knowing that Griffin couldn't stand up due to him losing a kneecap in the war. Finally Griffin gave his side of the story and said that both men agreed to a fight but owing to his knee injury he fell over and Robinson stamped on his face breaking his nose, and he bit his finger because it was in his mouth, and then added that he caught mouth ulcers by having Robinson's fingers in his mouth...shouldn't laugh but is quite ironic. Mr Watson then reminded Griffin that he had been previously fined for assault and described him as being, "a man who set himself against all law and order" The Magistrate Mr F.Halsall then fined Griffin, £5 and a Guinea in costs then dismissed the case against Robinson. A strange case, I think that Griffin was possibly a hard man and a bit of a bully who met his match with Robinson, mind you stamping on his face with his clogs was a tad severe!
