The Firework Nuisance

With the approach of Guy Fawkes day will come a series of cases at the Police Court, the first batch appearing on Saturday, when George Barker, Lawrence Craven, Joseph Godridge, James Burns, schoolboys, New Conisboro’, were summoned for discharging fireworks on the highway, at Conisboro’, on the 22nd October.

P.c. Walker stated that at 6.40 p.m., on Thursday, the 22nd ult., he was on duty, in plain clothes, in Sprotbrough street, New Conisboro’, when he saw the defendants who were discharging fireworks. He (witness) watched them for a few minutes, and saw each of the defendants light a firework, and then throw it into the middle of the road where it would explode.

He went towards them, caught Barker and Craven, and told them they would be reported.

The father of one of the boys, producing one of the fireworks, a miniature Chinese cracker, said: “Yes, sir, these fireworks are sold at 72 for halfpenny.”

The Chairman: Yes; but how do you know they were discharging these?

The Father: He had only a halfpenny.

The Chairman: Yes, but there were other boys.

The Father: I know, but he was the only one who had a halfpenny. (Laughter.)

The defendant, who appeared, was ordered to pay the reduced costs, 5s., and the others 1s. and 5s. costs.

Two more Denaby boys were summoned for a similar offence, and ordered to pay the reduced costs, 5s., their names being Emmanuel Wright and John Prowdregast.