Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 06 December 1922
Doubt In A Doncaster Poaching Case.
“Well, I have been at it for years.” John Charles Butler, miner, of Denaby, is alleged to have said to Police-constable Baker when charged with a breach of the Poaching Act.
At the Doncaster West Riding Court yesterday, the officer said that at 10.50 p.m. on November 17th last he saw defendant in Loversall Street, Denaby, coming from the direction of Denaby Wood and Hooton Roberts. Noticing that his boots and trouser bottoms were wet and dirty, he stopped him, and found in his possession a net and a snare.
The officer said when he served the summons, defendant said he had been unlucky.
In defence, defendant said he left home about 7.0 and went through the Crags where he met a friend and they went to the Hill Top, Hotel and stayed there until 10 p.m. He gave a man in the hotel a pint for the net and was on his way home when the policeman stopped him.
The magistrates thought there was a doubt in the case, and the charge was dismissed.