Conisborough Horsekeeper’s Larceny

April 1917

Sheffield Evening Telegraph, April 28, 1917

Conisborough Horsekeeper’s Larceny

John R Knowles, horsekeeper, Conisborough, pleaded guilty at Doncaster West Riding Court, today, to 3 cases of larceny.

In the first case he was charged with stealing a harness belonging to the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Company, value £2 2s 4d, and prisoner had been in the employ of the company.

He was also charged with stealing 13 paving bricks belonging to William Selwood, contractor, and a gun, the property of Richard Henry Hawley, farmer, Conisborough.

Police constable Knowles had his suspicions aroused, and visited the prisoner’s premises. He found the gun in the back bedroom, and the bricks in the back yard.

Prisoner said he was sorry, and pleaded that he had six children.

Asked why he took the gun and paving bricks, he replied: “They were no good to me.”

He had worked for a farmer and tat the glass works, and had been working at the pit, making from £2 5s to £2 9s a week.

General Bewicke Copley said that out of consideration for prisoner’s wife and family, the Bench had taken a most merciful view of his case, and had decided to give him the lightest fine they could, and they imposed a fine of 60s or a month to prison.