Stealing Horse Corn.

December 1889

Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Monday 23 December 1889

Stealing Horse Corn.

William Rawson, shunter, Denaby, was summoned for stealing horse corn, the property the Denaby Main Colliery Company, and Allerton Clarke, bargeman, was summoned for receiving the same knowing it to have been stolen.

Mr. H. H. Hickmott prosecuted on behalf of the company, and Mr. A. P. Aizlewood defended Clarke.

For some time horse corn has been missed from the company’s stables. On December 15, about seven o’clock, Clarke, who is bargeman, was met coming from the stables by one of the grooms. He was questioned, and said he had been getting the horse corn by means of order. As corn was allowed to go out without an order the groom thought was all right. Suspicion was afterwards raised and next morning Clarke was visited, and the sack was found to contain three stones corn, worth 4s, similar to that used by the company.

Rawson was found to be connected with the matter, and both men were summoned. Rawson then told a policeman that two men asked him if he would let them have some corn. He got them some, and they gave him a shilling.

Rawson, in defence, stated that he did not think of asking whether the men had an order. He did not ask for any money, but they gave him the shilling, what for he did not know.

Mr. Aizlewood on behalf of Clarke contended that there was nothing to show that he knew the corn was stolen, as he had paid for it, and was not aware that it was necessary to have an order.

The company did not press the case against Rawson, who had been in their employ eleven years, and bore a good character.

Rawson   was fined 20s including costs, and Clarke 30s., including costs.