Caught in Conisborough Fowlhouse

Frank Hanby (21) an unemployed farm labour of Conisborough, pleaded “guilty” to having stolen two fowls, the property of Eliza Stevens and at Doncaster on Monday was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment.

PC Boothroyd said at 10.40 on Sunday night he was at North Cliff, Conisborough, when he heard a noise, in consequence of which he went to the allotment gardens across the road.

A white hen was lying dead on the floor, and the prisoner had a red cockerel in his arms and he was screwing its neck.

The man had gained access to the fowl house by ripping off part of the roof. His reply to the constable’s question was, “all, you got me,” and later he said, “I took them because I was hungry.”

The prisoner had other convictions against him, and had served three years at a reformatory school for stealing.