Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 17 August 1912
Conisbrough Farmer Robbed
How Kindness was Rewarded
A young Londoner, named Frederick Jones, who is only 19 years of age, played a very dirty trick upon Mr Stacey, of the Butterbusk farm at Conisbrough.
He was tramping the country looking for work, when he applied to Mr Stacey, and was set on. He was there only 12 days, when he disappeared, with the farmer’s son’s bicycle, a melodeon, a woollen rug, and a pair of brasses, of the total value of £3 10s.
He now pleaded guilty.
According to the evidence of John Herbert Stacey, who resides with his parents at Butterbusk farm, said the bicycle (produced) was valued at 3 pounds, and he last saw it at 2.45 on Saturday night, when it was in the carriage house. He had kept it there about three nights, and the place was not locked up. He missed the machine the next day, and from the saddle room he also missed two brasses of the total value of 10/–. These were seen by him the previous day. The prisoner, who was employed by witness’s father, did not turn up to work the next day. He had been employed at the farm there 12 days, and resided on the premises.
PC Dobson, is stationed at Conisborough, said he received information of the theft at 8 o’clock on Monday morning, and on Tuesday he arrested prisoner at Nottingham. He came across Jones, who was riding a bicycle, quite by accident. He stopped him and brought him to Doncaster, where he charged him. He replied “I will tell the truth, officer. I took them and I sold the other thing to some travelling gypsies.” The other articles had not been recovered.
Superintendent Hicks stated that there had been several cycle stolen recently from farm premises in particular. He knew nothing about the prisoner, who refused to give any account of himself. When he (the superintendent) questioned him, he had said “If you want to know anything, find out.”
He was sent to prison for a month, the Chairman remarked that Mr Stacey was willing to be a friend to him, and this was the way he had treated him.