Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 22 February 1913
Conisboro’ Man’s Rabbits
A Miner’s First Offence
A New Conisboro’ miner, William Brown, was charged with stealing two dead rabbits from outside the shop of William Baker, greengrocer, of Doncaster Road, New Conisboro’, on Saturday night. He pleaded guilty.
The prosecutor said he was the tenant of a lock-up shop in Doncaster Road, and on Saturday night about 10 o’clock he had two couples of dead rabbits hung outside. The prisoner came in and asked the price of a fowl, and when told he went out saying, “Keep your — fowl.”
Three other men came in soon afterwards, and at 10.30 P.C. Barnes came and asked him if he had lost a couple of rabbits. When he examined the shop front he found a couple valued at 2s. 6d. were missing.
P.C. Barnes said he was on duty along with P.C. Rutter near to the prosecutor’s shop about 10 o’clock when he saw the prisoner try to unhook a couple of rabbits from a rail outside. He failed to reach them at the first attempt, but after looking round he had another go and managed to get them.
He put them under his coat and walked away. Witness followed him and charged him with stealing them, and he replied, “Yes, I took them.”
The prisoner told the magistrates he had never been in trouble before.
The Chairman asked if he was a collier earning good wages. “Yes, sir. I had had some beer or else I would not have done it.”
He was fined 20s., including the costs.
The Chairman, addressing Baker, said the magistrates did not care about him hanging those things outside the shop front. It was putting temptation in people’s way.
Baker said other people hung them out, and they were hung high enough. It took an ordinary man to reach them.
The Chairman said if they had tied them fast they would not have come down.
Baker said he would keep them inside in future.