Alleged Theft of Coat – Carter sent to Assizes

November 1885

Mexborough and District Times November 27 1885

Alleged Theft at Conisborough

Samuel Rich, Carter, Conisborough, was summoned on Saturday, on a charge of stealing a coat, the property of Atkinson Wray, carrier, Barmbro’.

Mr Hall appeared for the defence.

Prosecutors said on the third inst, just after dinner, he went to Conisborough for a load of coals. On returning he put his top coat on the coals and shortly afterwards missed it. He then turned back as far as the place where he had last seen it safe on the cart, and made enquiries, and from what was said to him, he went up the lane and met the prisoner and asked him if it seen anything of a coat on the road, and prisoner replied, “No, I have not seen one.”

From what he had afterwards heard, on Thursday the 19th, he went to the prisoner’s house, and then saw his coat hung up in the prisoner’s house.

A witness named Henry Bell, spoke to having known the defendant for years, and could say nothing against his character.

Charles Warren, an invalid, stated that the coat produced was lent him by defendant, one day recently, the request being “Will you take care of this coat while night?” He did so.

Sgt Noble spoke to discovering the coat at defendant’s house, the wife of the defendant saying it had been found. He afterwards apprehended the prisoner, and in reply to the charge he said “I gave sixpence for it from a tramp.”

Hiram Morton said the defendant was his uncle. He was working for his uncle, assisting in loading thorns just before 5 November, when Wray came up and asked defendant if he had seen his coat. The defendant replied that he had not.

Prosecutor promised witness a shilling if he found it. Witness then spoke to his uncle, and in consequence of what was said, the next time he saw the prosecutor he told him that his uncle had the coat, and wanted to see prosecutor to give it back again.

The magistrates committed prisoner for trial at the Sessions.

 

Footnote:

Samuel Rich appeared at the Leeds Assizes on January 6th 1893 and was found not guilty.