Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 26 September 1902
Damage to Property at Wath on Dearne
Three boys, Harold Clark, Albert Clark, and John Hartley, all of Wath, were summoned for having done damage to windowsills, the property of Mr William Hallett, builder and contractor at Wath on the 10th inst.
They pleaded not guilty.
Mr W.M.Gichard appeared for the prosecution, and said that with regard to the smallest boy, John Hartley, he proposed, if the case was proved, to ask that he be ordered to pay the costs. On the date named the three defendants were playing about on some land at Sandymount, Wath, where building operations were in progress. They were seen to throw down two stone windowsills. The cells were broken. The damage done was estimated at 30 shillings
Mr Hallett very reluctantly brought these cases before the Court, but he had had such a lot of damage done that it was time it was put a stop to. Something should be done to prevent lads running loose, as he appeared to do, and committing deliberate mischief without any apparent grounds for it, when they might go somewhere else to play without doing any damage.
Percy Palmer, schoolboy, aged 12, said that about 6:30 on Wednesday, the 10th he was in Sandymount, when he saw the defendants push two windowsills over. The sills were smashed in two. Since they knew that he had told they had made his nose bleed. He pointed the stones out to P.c. Lightowler.
John Whitehead, schoolboy, aged 12, gave similar evidence.
William Hallett, builder, to the damage at 30 shillings.
For the defence Joseph Hunter, a pit boy was called. He said he and Harold Clarke were together all the day, from 9 o’clock in the morning until 10 o’clock at night, with the exception of when they had dinner. They were playing around Cadman street.
Another companion of Harold Clark gave similar evidence, but he admitted that in the course of playing at “hiding” the vent as far as the first house in Sandymount, but not as far as Mr Hallatt’s property.
A Wath woman, named Mrs Watson, said she was washing at a house in Sandymount that day, and she heard Mrs Palmer say that her boy broke the window sill, and for cost £20 she will pay for it.
A fine of 2s 6d and the costs, 15s altogether, was imposed on the two Clarkes, and the case against the younger boy was dismissed