How John Lost His Boots-  A Miner’s Little Adventure

January 1898

Barnsley Chronicle, etc. – Saturday 08 January 1898

How John Lost His Boots.
 A Monk Bretton Miner’s Little Adventure

Ann Carr, described as of Denaby was charged with having stolen a pair men’s boots, value 7s. 11d the property of John Carr, miner, Littleworth-lane, Monk Bretton, Barnsley on 28th, December.

Prisoner: I took them but he gave them to me, and wanted to take to a house down some street.

The prosecutor said that Wednesday morning, the 29th ult., about half-past nine o’clock, he was standing in New-street, when the prisoner came to him and asked him if he would pay for a glass of beer for her. They went into the Neptune Inn together. He (prosecutor) had parcel containing pair of men’s laced boots. This he placed on a form beside him. He got into conversation with some people in the bar, and presently he missed his parcel, and noticed that the prisoner had also disappeared. He gave information to the police.

P.C.Evans, stationed at Denaby, deposed that apprehended the prisoner that place with the boots her possession evening of the same day. She bad been to pawn them, and her statement to how she came by the boots was so unsatisfactory that witness took her into custody on suspicion of stealing them. When he charged her with stealing them she said, “I haven’t stolen them. A man gave them to me in a public-house for an immoral purpose.”

Detective-sergt Danby proved receiving the woman from the police Denaby.

Prisoner said that the prosecutor came into a public-house where she was, sat down beside her and said, “Sup up, lass; and I’ll pay for another.” They went to another public-house; and they had several glasses of beer.

Prosecutor went to a fried fish shop to try to borrow some money. He left the boots with her, and said he would pawn them if couldn’t get any money.

Prosecutor, recalled by the Bench, said he had only two glasses of beer with the prisoner, and was not in more than one public house with her.

The Bench committed prisoner to Wakefield for 14 days, and the Mayor said they should have given her more if they bad not thought the prosecutor was also much to blame. They were sorry they could not do something to him, because if there were no such men as the prosecutor to take these women and treat them, the latter would have to get their living in some other way.