South Yorkshire Times and Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 14 June 1895
A Novel Felony at Denaby
At the West Riding Court at Doncaster, David Hill, a boy 10 years of age, was charged with stealing a quart of milk, value 3d., by abstracting it from a cow, the property of Mr. J. Clarkson, of Conisborough, on Sunday.
According to the evidence of Police-constable Hurst he was watching near a field at New Denaby on Sunday afternoon, when he saw ten cows belonging to Mr. Clarkson. About a quarter past one the prisoner and another boy named Butler went up to a cow, and the prisoner held the cow whilst Butler abstracted milk from its teats, which he drank as it came out. They then changed positions, and repeated the operation.
After watching them for about five minutes the officer made for the lads, who ran away, and he chased them for half a mile and caught the prisoner.
Thomas Henry Blyth, foreman for Mr. Clarkson, said that boys had been in the habit of taking milk from the cows, and he estimated that about a quart of milk was abstracted on this occasion.
The magistrates ordered the prisoner to receive four strokes with a birch rod.