Mexborough and Swinton Times January 30, 1915
Extraordinary Story from Denaby
Talk of a Sofa
An extraordinary story was heard during the case in which Samuel Carrington and Joseph Wright, miners of Denaby were charged with doing damage to a sofa, the property of John Robert Jones, also a miner residing at 78 Braithwell Street Denaby Main
Prosecutors stated that when he came home on January 16 he found the sofa missing. He reported the matter to the sergeant at Conisbrough, advised him to take proceeding. He estimated the damage at £1, the sofa being new about five weeks before.
Cross-examined by Carrington, witnessed denied that there was a rip in the sofa before it was taken out of the house.
Mrs Elizabeth Leeke, who lives in the same house, said that on the day named she was upstairs and when she heard mumbling, she came downstairs and saw the defendant taking the sofa away. The only reason she knew why they should do this was Carrington said that Mr Jones owed him a small amount of money.
Carrington, giving evidence on oath, said that he had found prosecutor work at Denaby Main, and he had stayed at witnesses’ house for a fortnight. He owed him a balance of six shillings out of 10 shillings and witness went to his house for the money. Finding him out, he took the sofa. He did not know that he had no right to take it, when the police told them that they returned it. It was in the same condition when they took it back as when they fetched it. He added that at the same time “he was not drunk and not exactly sober.”
Wright also went into the box, said they were “Market Merry” when they took the sofa, and had no idea they were doing wrong.
Bench ordered each man to pay 10 shillings damage, 2/6 fine and 16/9 costs.