Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 25 November 1892
Only a Lark and Its Consequences
Ada Harrison, respectively dressed girl, glass hand, residing at Conisborough, was charged with having stolen a money box and £1 10s in money, the property of William Kaye, Conisborough on 31 October.
She pleaded guilty.
William Kate, miner, who lived at number 5 Strafford Terrace, New Conisborough, said he remembered on Monday, 31 October, requiring some money from his cash box, which on looking for he missed. The same day prisoner came in the house and he charged her with stealing it. She denied having stolen it, and said she hoped that “God would strike her down dead if she had taken it.”
With a little bit of coaxing and a promise from his wife that she would give her one shilling, defendant confessed their guilt. She then went home and soon came out again with it in a small basket. There were then 30 shillings in it, £1 in gold, and the remainder in silver. Nothing had been extracted.
Complainant kept the box in the middle kitchen and the door was left ajar, and defendant came to the door and said the water was going to be put off, and whilst his wife went out to see, defendant came in and took the box. Defendant had no right in the house; she had previously been in at his invitation.
Emma Sarah Kaye, wife of complainant, remembered seeing the box safe in the kitchen on October 31, at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The defendant was then in the house having come to tell her that the water was going to be turned off. She went to get a bucket of water. When her husband came and he wanted some money and went where the money box was but found it was missing. Defendant lived next door.
Defendant on hearing a charge, pleaded guilty, said she only took it for a lark. She had no intention of keeping it.
The Chairman said the bench were inclined to look at the case leniently. Larking like she had been doing was a very dangerous thing. There would give her the benefit of the doubt. She would be bound over in two sureties, herself in one of £5 and her father in a similar sum. She was ordered to come up for judgement when called upon.