Youthful Offenders at New Conisborough – Pigeon Stealing and Shop Breaking.

December 1901

Mexborough and Swinton Times, December 13.

Youthful Offenders at New Conisborough.
Pigeon Stealing and Shop Breaking.

Fred Stoves (10) and John Arthur Marriot (13), schoolboys of New Conisborough, were summoned by Frederick Lowe, for stealing pigeons on 3 December.

The prosecutor stated that he was landlord of the Station Hotel, Conisborough, and at about 12 o’clock, noon on the second of this month he had 12 pigeons in a cote in the Croft behind his house. He left then there all right.

The next morning he visited the cote again, and found that the door had been broken off the hinges, and eight of the pigeons were missing. He then gave information to the police. The same afternoo, PC Duffin showed him some pigeons, which he identified as his (three produced, and one dead). He valued them altogether at four shillings.

PC Duffin stated that he was stationed at Conisborough, and at about 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 3 December, he received information from the last witness to the effect that he had had some pigeons stolen. Witness made enquiries, and recovered three from a hutch in a field in Low Road, Conisborough, in a box. He showed them to the prosecutor, and he identified them as his property.

Witness afterwards made further enquiries, Stoves being in custody at the time. Marriot was also in custody. He charged them together with stealing eight pigeons from the Station Inn, Conisborough.

Stoves replied, “I got two of the pigeons, and him them in a hut in Low road, the same afternoon.” Marriot replied, “I only got four pigeons.”

Prisoner said that they only got two pigeons each. Stoves threw one up, and it fell into the water.

Both prisoners pleaded guilty.

Arthur Severns, Fred Stoves, Ernest Marriot, and George A. Marriot, schoolboys, New Conisborough, were also charged in custody with having stolen pigeons, the property of Joseph Pugh at Conisborough, 3 December.

Joseph Pugh, miner, living at 61, Doncaster road, Denaby, said that, on 2nd December he locked up his pigeon cote, which was in a garden near to the old Bone Mill, Denaby. He had 18 pigeons at that time. At about 3:30 pm on the third inst, he visited the pigeon cote again, and found that the door had been broken open. He counted his pigeons, and found that 4 were missing. He saw some boys a short distance away, about 200 yards.

Another man named Albert Taylor was with him, and they ran after the lads. They caught Fred Stoves, and Ernest Marriot. He gave information to the police. The pigeons were worth 8d each.

PC Lancaster stated that he was stationed at Denaby, and at about 4 pm on 3 December he received information that the last witness had had his pigeon house robbed, and found that the door had been burst open. He made enquiries, and traced the robbery to the prisoners. He charged them, and Severns said, “We were there, and we all got one each.” Stoves, gave a similar reply, as did Ernest Marriot. George A. Marriot said, “Severns broke into the place, breaking the lock off with a hammer.”

All the prisoners pleaded guilty.

George A. Marriot had been summoned previously.

Mr Marriot, stated that a lot of children were turned out of the school, and they were running about the streets with nothing to do.

Arthur Severns had a previous conviction recorded against him.

On the first charge Fred Stoves and George Arthur Marriot, were ordered to pay the costs, five shillings, and receive four strokes with the birch rod.

George Arthur Marriot was also charged with breaking into the lock-up shop of Charles Morton, at New Conisborough, on 4 October. About two months ago, he and his brother were in an entry in Balby Street. The prisoner and Severns came over a wall to him. Marriot gave him two packets of Woodbine and Cinderella cigarettes; six 2 penny cigars, and some chocolate. Witness valued them at 6s 4d. Information was given to the police the same day.

Frederick Nelson Bodkin said he was a Trapper at Denaby Main Colliery, and lived with his parents at 39, Balby Street, New Conisborough. About two months ago he and his brother were in an entry in Balby Street. The prisoner and Severns came over a wall to him. Marriot gave him two packets of Woodbine and Cinderella cigarettes. He asked him where he had got them from, and he said he had bought them, but he did not say where from. They both went back again over the wall.

Arthur Severns said he lived with his parents in Balby Street, New Conisborough. On 4 October he was with a boy named Charles Bryce at Conisborough railway station. George A. Marriot was also with him. When they got to Kilner’s bridge Marriot asked him if he would break into Morton’s shop. Witness stopped against a lamp post and Bryce went home. Marriot went behind Morton’s shop and stayed there a good bit.

When he came back. He said that he had broken a board off the bottom of the door. He saw him the next morning, when he gave him some cigarettes. He said that he had got them from Mr Morton’s shop.

In answer to the charge prisoner pleaded guilty.

The Chairman: Have they been reading these books, do you know?

Mr Marriot: I do not know, I am sure; they are a number of children knocking about the streets; it is scandalous, and they have nothing to do but run the streets. That occurred through them being turned out of the school.

The bench ordered the prisoner to pay the costs and received four strokes with the Birch Rod, or 12 strokes in all.