Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 18 May 1910
A Foolish Whitsuntide Escapade.
Two young men named Fred Smith and Frank Cooper, colliers, were charged at Doncaster yesterday with stealing three bottles of gin, sherry and vinegar and other articles from a dray belonging to Messrs. Hodgson and Hepworth, grocers, Doncaster.
The goods were in a dray in the yard at the Hill Top Inn, Conisborough, and on Monday night Police constable Haylock saw the men on the high road with the bottles in their possession. Not being satisfied with their statement, he took the men the police station.
Smith’s explanation was that he got some drink and did not know what he was doing. He had not been used taking drink. There was a second charge against the prisoners of stealing a bicycle lamp belonging to Fred Horning, pork butcher, Denaby. The bicycle was left standing outside the public house and when the prisoners were apprehended on the other charge they had the lamp in their possession.
Both prisoners, who pleaded guilty, attributed their conduct to drink, and the police gave them good characters.
They were fined 40s. in each case, or one month to prison for each offence.