“Raffling” At Christmas.

January 1899

Sheffield Independent – Monday 02 January 1899

“Raffling” At Christmas.

Alexander Wray worth, grocer’s manager, New Conisbro’, was summoned at the West Riding Police Court on Saturday for selling tickets in a lottery at Conisbro’.

Sergeant Brown said he visited the shop on Saturday night, from information received. It was known as the Don Valley Stores. In the window he saw a piece of paper containing the winning numbers in connection with a lottery.

The defendant was spoken to about it, and he denied that he was conducting a lottery, saying it was not “drawn” in his shop.

Phoebe Hill said some tickets were sold to her by a young man named Alfred Greyson.

Mary Sunderland also deposed to obtaining a ticket.

Mr. Baddiley, for the defence, reminded the magistrates that, under the Lotteries Act, a person was deemed a rogue and a vagabond, and said he felt sure the Bench would not consider the defendant came under that definition. It was customary to have raffles, and the police took no notice of them in many places. It was quite true in the present instance that there had been a raffle, but it was one got up for poor people, and tickets were sold for that charitable object-

The defendant, who was manager of the shop, had no interest whatever in the raffle personally. Some persons called Guest got the raffle up. The woman had no husband, and it was for this charitable purpose. An assistant in the shop sold some tickets. Though it might be wrong under the Act of Parliament to have raffles, yet he thought the Bench would net say the defendant was a rogue and vagabond in the meaning of the Act.

This was ere of those cases which might safely be withdrawn by ordering the defendant to pay the costs, and not have a conviction recorded against him.

The Magistrates’ Clerk: Then it must be a withdrawal.

Mr. Baddiley: Well, withdrawn on the payment of costs.

Supt. Blake : Will you prove that it is a charitable object?

Mr- Baddiley: Your own witness says so.

The defendant was ordered to pay the costs