Travelling Without a Ticket

Tom Walker, sen, and Tom Walker, Jun, Conisborough were charged with travelling without tickets on the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway, between Sheffield and Conisbrough on that line, on 17 April.

Inspector Dugdale, on behalf of the railway company, appear to prosecute. He stated that on the date in question defendants travelled from Sheffield to Conisbrough and when arriving at the latter, place it was found they had travelled without tickets.

Sam Booth stated that he was the booking clerk at Conisborough station. On the date in question he was taking tickets from the passengers that travelled by the 11:55 p.m. train from Sheffield. When they came up to him, they gave up the return half of an excursion ticket from Sheffield, and the defendant stated that the boy had not been by train. He afterwards found out that he had come by train, and asked for his name and address. The man then wanted to pay the fare. He gave the wrong address. He gave his address at 34, Loversall Street, but his proper address was 22, Blyth Street.

PC Brooke said he was on duty at Conisborough on the date in question. He was at the bottom of the steps when the 11:55 p.m. train arrived from Sheffield. He saw the two defendants go around behind the waiting room until most of the passengers had got out. They then came up and gave up the return half of a ticket to Sheffield. He stated that the boy had not come by train, and had come to the station to meet him. He (witness) had been on the steps before the train came in, and he asked the man if the boy had come on the station after the train came in. He said “yes.” He then referred them to another man, who said the boy had travelled in the train all the way from Sheffield.

The man offered to pay the fare, but the booking clerk would not take it. He then asked for his name and address, and he gave 34, Loversall Street. Witness followed him home, and found he had given a wrong address, and found his proper one was 22, Blyth Street,

Defendant’s wife (who appeared): The back door is in Loversall Street

Inspector Dugdale: What is the distance between Loversall Street, and 22 Blyth St?

Witness: between 150 and 200 yards.

Defendant’s wife stated that the boy did not travel from Conisborough to Sheffield. He had been fetched home.

The elder defendant was fined 10s and 18s and 6d costs, and the boy was ordered to pay the costs, 8s 6d.