Mexborough & Swinton Times — Saturday, 12 July 1924
A Denaby Betting House
Police Raid on “Derby Day”
Heavy Penalties
After having been under observation and on the second occasion struck out, the case against Thos. White, of 30, Blythe Street, Denaby, of having kept a betting house, Kate Thompson, of Denaby, for assisting, and Lily Mannion, of Denaby, for resorting to the house, was brought forward at the West Riding Court on Tuesday.
Mr. A. S. Furniss, of Rotherham, appeared for the defence, and the prosecution was in the hands of Mr. C. Byers, of Wakefield, representing the police.
Mr. Byers explained to the court why it had been impossible for him to attend on the previous occasion, and Mr. Furniss associated himself with the explanation.
The Chairman (Mr. G. E. Cook-Yarborough) said the magistrates had been put to some inconvenience, but they accepted the explanation, understanding that no discourtesy was intended.
Mr. Furniss contended that the case had been discussed and could not be re-opened.
The Bench over-ruling the defence on this point, the case was proceeded with.
The “Big” Trick
Mr. Byers said the police kept observation on the house on various occasions by hiding in a bedroom over a stable which gave them an uninterrupted view of the back door. Sergt. Sparrow and a Constable, whilst watching the premises, saw 44 men, 35 women, 10 boys and 13 girls go into the house between 11.30 and 2.30 on May 16. On May 21 Sergt. Elliott and another Constable saw 21 men, 8 women, 12 boys and 10 girls call at the house. On May 22, 14 men, 14 women, 16 girls and 12 boys were there. On May 31, 46 men, 43 women, 15 boys and 19 girls were seen to visit the place.
On June 4 a raid was made. The police driving up to the building in a motor car. White saw the officers approaching and was heard to exclaim, “Come in, but push the door,” and the door was instantly shut against them. The police managed to push their way in. When inside they saw the defendant and Mrs. Thompson, who picked up a blue basin containing money. The woman went to the rear of the house, dropping coppers as she went.
As she reached the back door she was confronted by two other officers, who took the blue basin from her. On the table were two pocket books with leaves torn out, and there was a small paying-out book, with leaves torn out. The officers read the warrant to White, who said, “I’m satisfied, you have been fair.” Mrs. Thompson said: “We have been unlucky this time.” The sum of £16 18s. in silver was found in the basin. In all the amount obtained was £19 19s. 1d.
The circumstances relating to the case were, as the number of children who were congregated with it. In the four days that the police kept observation as many as 112 children were seen to call at the house. While the officers were at the door a girl of 15 called and handed in a slip and 3s. 6d. saying “give this to Mr. White.”
The Raid
Sergt. Sparrow corroborated the statements made by the solicitor. He said from the position he occupied, 140 yards away, the doorway could be plainly seen and all that was going on. When the house was entered Lily Mannion was seen there as well as Mrs. Thompson. It was only after some difficulty that they effected an entrance. He said White tried to prevent the police getting in. Lily Mannion said, “I’ve done now.” He saw a “Spring Double” in the house on June 4, that was Derby Day. He saw items to the amount of £1 13s. 10d. entered in the book they picked up with leaves torn out. Two ornaments on the dresser contained copper and in the cupboard they found more money. The sum of £6 10s. was found in the possession of Mrs. Thompson.
In reply to Mr. Furniss, the sergeant said he knew White very well. The man had a good record. He had been a miner at Cadeby but was now receiving compensation.
Mr. Furniss questioned whether the police could see distinctly from the position they took up. He suggested that many of the people they saw did not enter the house at all. He pointed out that there were no betting slips in the house; in fact nothing was found in connection with betting except a sporting paper. In the same room were two boxes used as clubs. The membership of one of them was about 100. It would have been quite possible for the police officers to have been mistaken.
Sergt. Elliott said he had kept observation on the house on May 21 and 31. On the first occasion 43 women, 21 men, 19 girls and 12 boys visited the place. Altogether, on the several occasions 125 people called there.
The raid took place at 2.15 on June 4. He agreed with Sergt. Sparrow that there was nothing to disturb the view.
Mr. Furniss suggested that people were not calling at this house, but went to a large entry which this house bordered—a favourite place of bookmakers; in fact this district was a notorious place for bookmakers.
Insp. Dance said he accompanied the officers in the motor car when the raid was made. He heard White say to someone inside, “Come in and push the door.” On entering the house White said “There are no slips here; they are gone.” The Inspector said that, within two minutes, a crowd of 200 people gathered at the door.
The Defence
At the conclusion of the evidence, Mr. Furniss said White had been to the Spring Races at Doncaster. The circumstances were unique. The conclusions that it was a betting house because many persons called could not be borne out. There was no evidence except that of a sporting paper that the house was carried on for betting purposes. He suggested that the police could not see the door or the entrance at all. Although the police examined the house very carefully they could not find a single slip of any description.
White said he was a miner on compensation. He had a perfectly clear record. He admitted having carried on betting since the accident. But he had never used the house for the purpose of betting. He had been to the Doncaster Races. Some of the money found in the house was from racing. The entry near his house was a well-known congregating place for bookmakers. 25 men had been convicted for bookmaking near that place. There had never been an occasion when 100 people had entered his house. During the raid he was asked to account for the money the police picked up. Sergt. Jones asked, “Where are the accounts?” and witness replied, “In my head.” He told the police he had no slips and that he would give him 5s. for any he could find. The two books produced in court were bought at the door for threepence from a man. The suggestion that he kept the door closed when the officers made the raid was not true; his foot had jammed in a hole in the floor. The girl was brought into the house by Sergt. Elliott.
The girl, Annie Crow, aged 13, said she was asked by Sergt. Elliott: “What have you got in your hand?” and when asked what she was going to do with the paper she said, “I was going to ask Mr. White whether he can had gone.” She had never been to the house before. She had been sent by her mother “to hand the slip to a man in the entry.”
Mrs. Mannion admitted that she was in the house. There was no betting going on. The house was not used for the purpose of betting. She had known nothing of the kind. There were some convictions she admitted recorded against her, but not for betting.
Mrs. Thompson said she had lived with White for the past twelve years as his wife. She denied the allegations. She heard no warrant read out on the occasion of the raid, and never heard White say what had been stated. She denied having said they were “unlucky.”
Sixty-Five Minutes
The Chairman said there was not the slightest doubt that the offence had been committed.
White was fined £30, Thompson £20, and Mannion was bound over.