Mexborough and Swinton Times, March 5, 1910
Previous Convictions For Stealing
” I Was Hard Up at the Time.”
A respectably dressed married , woman, named Phoebe Beckett, of New Conisboro’, was charged at Doncaster on Tuesday with stealing a shovel. She was further charged along with Annie Beckett. also a married woman, of New Conisboro’ with stealing a bed quilt.
The shovel, which was produced in Court, was identified by the owner, Margaret Thomas, of 9 Thornhill street, Now Conisboro’ who said that on .Jan. 17th, at 4 p.m., it was in her back-yard. At nine o’clock the same day she missed it. The article was worth 2s.
P.c. Grimshaw ed to recovering the shovel from Jane Wigglesworth on Feb. 18th. It had been sold to that lady by defendant. He charged Phoebe with stealing it, and she replied, “I was hard up at the time.”
Mrs. Jane Wigglesworth. of 49, Clifton street, New Conisboro’ knew defendant who, on Jan. 19th brought the shovel to her house, with an invitation to buy it. Witness, on being assured that the shovel was defendant’s property, gave her a shilling for it. She said it had been brought home by the little boy.
Defendant told the Bench that the shovel was brought home from school by her little boy, and that she sold it to get it out of the way, as her husband was continually thrashing the lad over it.
After hesitating a while, defendant elected to give evidence on oath, when she said, “lf I was to swear I took that shovel I should he telling a lie.”
It was on Feb. 2nd that her son, aged five, brought it home about six o’clock. Her husband was then present.
Defendant’s husband, sworn, said that when he came in from the pit, at a quarter to eleven o’clock on the night of February 2, the missus told him that the lad had brought the shovel home. Witness said it would have to be shifted, and after a week it it was sold on condition that it could be had back if the owner turned up.
Witness admitted to Superintendent Hickes that his wife had been up for an offence in Staffordshire, coal picking, or something like that. It was untrue for his wife to say that he was present when the shovel was brought home.
The next witness from Blyth Street, New Conisbrough, deposed to missing a quilt, value 7/6 , from her line, on the 14th of Jan.
Emma Glynn of Clifton street, New Conisboro’, deposed to the defendant, Phoebe Beckett, coming to her house on Jan. 14th, and saying, “r have got a pink fringe quilt from a line in Blyth street.” She said her sister-in-law Annie, had given her 4s for it.
On Feb. 5th witness visited Annie’s house at 58, Clifton street, and she saw the quilt (produced) on the bed upstairs. Witness and Phoebe came downstairs, and Phoebe said, ‘That’s the quilt took from Blyth street.
P.c. Grimshaw visited defendant’s houses on Feb. 12th, and found the quilt on a bed in Annie Beckett’s house. She said she had brought it from Staffordshire about nine months ago but she didn’t know from what part. Annie Glover afterwards identified the articles as her property. In answer to the charge, Annie said that Phoebe took it off the clothes line to sell it to her. They were together at the time. Phoebe made no reply to the charge.
Annie now pleaded guilty to taking the quilt, and Phoebe said she was with her at the time of the theft.
Phoebe said the sister-in-law was not very well off at the time. They were coming home with the husband’s beer one night, and Annie asked her to hold the bottles while she picked a quilt off a line. She did so, and Annie did the trick.
There were three previous convict ions against Phoebe for stealing.
The Chairman said it was a question whether they should send her to prison or not. They would give her another chance, however. She would be fined 40s, on each charge, or two months in default, Annie would also have to pay 40s. or take a month.