Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 13 August 1904
An Incorrigible Conisbro’ Youth.
A man named Pepler, collier, Conisborough, was summoned for not having kept his child under proper control.
Sergeant Horton deposed that he knew the defendant’s son, the subject of the present charge, and it was within his knowledge that the boy had been convicted at that court upon four different occasions, the charges being for stealing two hens, stealing oranges, and purloining fourpence, as well as cruelty to geese. With regard to the last charge it was preferred by Mr. Guest, farmer, Conisborough, and the boy was ordered to pay a certain sum of money. The parents, witness continued, appeared to have no control over the boy. When he was absent from school he was in everybody’s fields and was generally running about the streets like somebody wild. These remarks applied to the periods both before and after his last conviction. On the day following his last conviction the boy got a horse out of a field and was riding upon its back for two hours. He did not think the father made any attempt to look after the boy.
Moses Sear, wages clerk at the Denaby Main Colliery, produced the colliery wages books. He stated that defendant was a miner at the colliery named, and his wages from April 6th to June 22nd of the present year had averaged 42s. 1d. weekly, notwithstanding the fact that during that time he had absented himself from his employment for two weeks.
Insp. Watson spoke as to the defendant’s means. Defendant had two children besides the one already mentioned; his house rent including rates, was 5s. 6d. weekly, and he had two lodgers, each of whom was paying him 13s. weekly.
Defendant: I have had some conversation with Mr. Guest concerning the horse upon which the boy was last convicted, and I put the question before him. I said there were two courses open, one being that I must be sold up, otherwise I must go to Wakefield.
Mr. Guest said, “Well, I’ll see that you don’t go to Wakefield.”
Supt. Blake: At the present moment there is owing in respect of this boy the sum of £1 11s. 6d.
The Chairman, after commenting upon the boy’s conduct, and the father’s apparent indifference, said the Bench made an order upon the parent to pay the indebtedness of the boy, and the cost of these proceedings, in default to be imprisoned in Wakefield.