Robbery of Eight Sheep at Conisbrough

November 1881

Mexborough & Swinton Times, November 4

Robbery of Eight Sheep at Conisborough


A labourer of Conisborough, named Thomas Crabtree, was charged with stealing 8 sheep, valued at £28, from a field there, the property of Mr Godfrey Walker.

On Saturday the 1st October, Mr Walker´s farm bailiff placed 50 sheep in a field at Conisborough.

At noon the same day it was found that 8 of them were gone. In the morning the prisoner was observed by George Goodlad, butcher, Conisborough to be driving sheep in the direction of Doncaster. He took them to Askern and sold them to a man named Yates. He charged £2 for them. Yates paid him £1 15s 0d on account and placed them in a field at Rushmoor, near Askern.

They remained there all Sunday and Monday, the 2nd and 3rd ult., but on the following morning it was discovered they had disappeared.

A search disclosed the fact that they were going in the direction of Doncaster, and on the same day the prisoner was perceived to be driving the sheep from Askern to Warmsworth, with the apparent object of again selling them.

On reaching Warmsworth he found that the police were on his `track´ and having placed the animals in a field belonging to a Mr Crawshaw he decamped. Until the 24th ult. no more was heard of him. On that day he was apprehended at Wath.

The prisoner made no defence and as committed for trial at the Wes Riding Sessionns to be held at Wakefield in Janury next; bail was refused.

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