Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 24 November 1893
Theft of Wood at Cadeby
Magisterial Clemency
Stephen Deering, miner, Denaby, was charged with stealing a quantity of wood, value 1s., the property of J. F. Firbank, railway contractor, of Cadeby, on November 16th.
P.C. Peckitt said he was employed to protect the property of the contractor for the new line at Cadeby, and on the night of the 16th he saw the prisoner with a bundle of sticks in his possession. He had a piece of timber, about 25 feet long, and was breaking it up and putting the pieces in the bag. He apprehended him and searched the bag, when he also found several wooden wedges in the prisoner’s possession.
Prisoner pleaded guilty. It was his first offence, and he had never been in a court before. He would not have done it but that they had no fire. He had heard that the strike was settled and the men were going to work at Denaby, and he hoped the bench would give him a fine, so that he could go to work and have a chance to pay it.
Prisoner was fined 20s., or 14 days. He asked for time in which to pay it. He would be able to go back to work, and would be able to pay in two weeks.
The Chairman: “No, we can’t do that. We have been very lenient as it is.”