Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday, 30 July 1904
The Birch For A Conisboro’ Boy
Noah Myers (12), schoolboy, Conisboro’, was brought up in custody, and charged on remand from the previous Thursday, by Walter Thomas, with having stolen 3d. from his son, William Henry Thomas, at that place, on July 20th.
Margaret Thomas, wife of the prosecutor, residing at 5, Balby Street, New Conisboro’, deposed that on the previous Wednesday she gave her little boy sevenpence and sent him on an errand. She sent him for half-a-pound of butter, but when he returned he brought with him a quarter-of-a-pound and a penny. In consequence of a statement the boy made she went back to the shop, and from there to Marr Street, accompanied by her son. They saw six boys, out of whom her boy identified the prisoner as the one who took the money from him.
Witness went to prisoner and, addressing him, said, “Where’s my threepence?” to which he replied, “I’ve spent it; if you’ll wait until to-morrow I’ll give it back to you.”
Edith Berry, daughter of Annie Berry, who keeps a grocer’s shop in Blyth Street, New Conisboro’, said on Wednesday last William Henry Thomas came to her mother’s shop, and putting 7d. on the counter asked for half-a-pound of butter. Prisoner was with him, and he remarked to witness: “He wants a quarter-of-a-pound of butter, and he’s going to get the remainder somewhere else.” She gave him a quarter-pound of butter and 4d. change, and the two boys then left the shop.
P.C. Wailes deposed that on the previous Wednesday he apprehended the prisoner and charged him with having stolen 3d. from the boy William Henry Thomas. Prisoner replied: “Yes, I took it, and I spent it because I have not had any dinner to-day.” Witness then took him into custody.
Prisoner, in reply to the Bench, admitted that he took the money from the boy, William Henry Thomas, and with it, he said, he bought a bun, a pennyworth of chocolate, and a pennyworth of chips.
Prisoner’s mother was present at Court, and when asked by the Chairman whether she had anything to say on behalf of her son, replied that she hoped the Bench would be lenient, as the boy had not a father.
The Bench ordered that he be given three strokes with the birch-rod.
On hearing this the prisoner commenced to cry, exclaiming amid his sobs, “Three strokes!—three strokes!”