Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Tuesday 04 March 1902
Sheffield Police Courts.
Obtaining Alms by False Pretences.
At the Sheffield City Police Court, yesterday, before the Stipendiary Magistrate, Robert Porter (38). who stated that he came from Denaby Main was charged with obtaining alms by false representations.
On Saturday prisoner was at Attercliffe, where he was hawking pamphlets. He was telling the people around him that he was selling the papers on behalf of Mrs. Jones, whose husband was blinded in a recent colliery accident, and who had four children, all whom were almost starving, sympathetic public listened to his tale, and he succeeded in selling some of his pamphlets.
Police-constable Gautier, however, came on the scene, and being in plain clothes had the advantage of hearing the whole of prisoner’s story. He arrested him, and then Porter admitted that he was selling the pamphlets for his own benefit, and that his tale about Mrs. Jones was all untrue.
Sent to prison for seven days with hard labour.