Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 07 October 1892
Theft of Barley at West Melton
Godfrey Waring, a boy eight years of age, was charged with stealing a quantity of barley belonging to Mr. Spelling Whitworth, Wath, on the 20th ult.
Ann Drury, an elderly woman, was further charged with receiving the corn, knowing It have been stolen.
Mr. Hickmott prosecuted, and Mr. Gichard defended.
Mr. Hickmott explained that the reason the case was brought before the bench was on account of the amount of damage which Mr. Whitworth had sustained and therefore he had no alternative. It was not the lad they desired to punish, but the woman, because if the evidence was correct she had been receiving barley previously.
Mr. Gichard submitted that defendant was only charged with accepting stolen barley on a certain date.
Mr. Hickmott stated that the barley stolen on the day named was worth about 4d. or 5d. The lad took the barley to Mrs. Drury’s house, and she gave them ½ d. each for it. On being spoken to by a police officer on the matter she stated that she gave nothing for it. She also said that the boys told her that they had found it on the lower road.
P.c. Hyde stated that on the 20th ult., at five o’clock in the afternoon, he saw the younger defendant carrying about eight sheaves of barley from Mr Whitworth’s field. Witness spoke to him about the matter, and defendant said he was going to take them to Mrs. Drury. He also stated that he had taken one previously, and she had given him ½ d. for it. The defendant then left the corn. Witness then went to the female defendant and asked her where the corn was that Godfrey Waring had brought. She replied that it was in the pig stye. Witness went to the latter place and found the barley (produced) as stated. The barley was worth 4d. When witness served a summons upon Drury she told him that she thought the boys had found the barley on the road way. The field was about 50 yard’s from the female defendant’s house.
Drury denied that she had given anything for the corn.
Harry Calvert, the boy who went to the field with Waring, admitted that he had taken some corn to Mrs. Drury, and had received ed. for it. He did not tell Drury where he had got the corn from.
Waring’s aunt was called and said the boy went regularly to school. She informed that the defendant would be bound to come up for judgement at any time when called for.
Waring was now called as a witness, and stated that he got the barley from Mr. Whitworth’s field, and told Mrs. Drury so. She told him to put it at the top of the garden and he did so. She gave him 1/2 d for it
Mr. Gichard for the defence, said that his client had no idea that the barley was taken from Mr. Whitworth’s field. She was told by the boys that they had picked it up from the road. She did not give the lad ½ d for it. He submitted that it was quite possible for the barley to have been gathered on the roadside.
Ann Drury, daughter in law of the defendant, said she was in defendant’s house when Waring came and asked defendant she wanted some pig bedding. She replied yes, and told him to put it in the garden. She never saw Drury give the buy a ½ d.
The Bench inflicted a fine of 20s and costs Mr Chambers remarking that the leniency of the fine was due to the good character borne by her husband.