Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 01 February 1922
Wary Wath Wives.
Bogus Footballer’s Attempts to Secure Cash.
On charges of attempted fraud and thefts, John James Ingram (26), described as a miner, of Wath Road, Swinton, was, yesterday, at the Rotherham West Riding Court, before Mr. E. Page and Mr. W, Hallatt, sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment.
Prisoner had posed as a footballer ; and had endeavoured to obtain a trial with the Wath team. He was first accused of having, on January 14, attempted to obtain £5 by false pretences from Sarah Jaques, wife of William Jaques, colliery undermanager, The Cedars, Wath.
It was stated that he asked a schoolboy mimed Burdon (11), whom he found on the football field in Doncaster Road, Wath, to take a note to Mrs. Jaques, and he complied. The note asked for £5 to be sent with the boy to the colliery at once and was signed “Henry Jaques.” There was the intimation, “I will be home about 12.33.” Prisoner told the boy to say that Mr. Jaques had sent it.
The reply of Mrs. Jaques was “Tell the man to come for himself.” The prisoner gave the boy a penny for his trouble. Mr. Jaques, who is president of the Wath Athletic Football Club, said the prisoner came to him at Manvers Colliery about six weeks ago. He said he was a miner, and also a football player, and was seeking employment. Witness told him he would try to find a job for him, and subsequently did so, but he only worked six shifts. He had made no pretence of playing football. To the formal charge from the Bench, prisoner replied. “I am very sorry for what I have done.”
The next charge was for having attempted to obtain £9 from Mary Ann Longworth, the mother of Sidney Longworth, the secretary of the Wails Club. In this instance prisoner sent a pit lad, John Williamson, aged 14, to Mrs. Longworth’s house, promising to give him a shilling for delivering a note. Williamson read the note to Mrs. Longworth. It asked for the money to be sent for the players.
Another Blank.
Mrs. Longworth said she had not sufficient money, and when prisoner was told the message ho asked Williamson to go back and ask her to send as much as she had. Williamson again saw Mrs. Longworth, but that lady declined to hand over anything.
Sidney Longworth, miner, and secretary of the Wath Athletic Football Club, stated that on this particular Saturday he was at Sutton-in-Ashfield on business. On his return his mother showed him the note. Witness went on to say that the prisoner was sent to him by the president of the club, at the beginning of December, for an interview. He was told he would be given a trial in the team. He had been sent for on two occasions, but had failed to put in an appearance.
There were three charges of theft afterwards gone into: Stealing £1 2s. O ½ d, belonging to William King, Wath: 11s. 8d., belonging to William Henry Phillips, West Melton, and 7s. 6d. from Henry Bell, Mexborough.
In respect of these latter allegations the money was stolen from the clothing of players engaged in a football match between teams representing the G.C. Traffic Dept. Club and Mexborough Thursday 2nd team, on January 5th.
The prisoner’ visited the dressing-room prior to the match, and afterwards acted as linesman for a short time, He then left the field, and it was subsequently found that the pockets of the clothing of a number of the players had been rifled, and that altogether £5 10s. 2d. was missing. Prisoner pleaded guilty to all the charges.
Superintendent Horton said the prisoner had been living in Mexborough for about two months. In addition to the five cases just heard there were 26 others which could have been brought against him, and which he acknowledged having committed.