Mexborough & Swinton Times — Saturday, 14 March 1914
Breach of Bye-Laws
Conisbro’ Organist Bound Over
Douglas Brown, organist, of Conisboro’, was summoned for a breach of railway bye-laws at Conisboro’ on Feb. 13th.
Mr. A. Blackmore pleaded guilty on behalf of the defendant.
Mr. Arthur Hall said that in consequence of certain information a stationmaster instructed a collector to watch a particular train. When the train arrived at Swinton he saw the defendant sitting in it. On arrival at Conisboro’ the defendant offered to pay his fare from Mexboro’. He was followed by the collector and the defendant then stated that he boarded the train at Mexboro’.
Mr. Blackmore said that in conjunction with the young man’s parents they had carefully considered the case, and had decided to plead guilty. It was an extraordinary thing that though the defendant looked very much older than he was he was only 19 years of age. He was a musician by profession, and like many artistes he was inclined to be absent-minded and careless. When he got to Conisboro’ he stated quite absent-mindedly that he entered the train at Mexboro’. Looked at in this worse light possible, that was not a serious offence, and he asked the Bench to bind the defendant over under the First Offenders’ Act. The defendant had made a very good start in the musical profession, and if a conviction was registered against him, it would jeopardise his prospects in the profession he had taken up. He himself had suffered a great deal of personal anguish.
The defendant was bound over in the sum of 40s. for three months.