Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Friday 04 March 1910
The Tell-Tale Boots.
Startling Morning Discovery at Conisborough.
A charge of burglariously entering the house of George Crooks engine man, Conisbro’ yesterday preferred against Fred Johnson, a stranger in the district.
Sarah Elizabeth crooks, wife of George crooks, Park Rd, Conisbro, stated that on Wednesday night, the 23rd ult., she locked the house up at 11 o’clock, the back door being latched. Her husband was at work, and she did not expect him until morning. A young man named Arthur Wilson lodged with them, and the latch was left for him so that, he could get into the house. She was aroused at a quarter past one by Wilson, and coming downstairs noticed two small boxes which had been in a drawer were on the hearth-rug. The scullery window was shut, but she noticed a little dust outside the window which aroused her suspicions. A pair of boots were found the slopstone. They did not belong to her husband or the lodger. Several articles had been misplaced, but she had not missed anything from the house.
When the lodger, Arthur Wilson, who is a clerk in the assistant overseer’s office, returned to house at quarter-past one, he went to the back yard for the purpose of getting the key of the front door, which had been secreted. On passing the scullery window be noticed it was open at the bottom, the window having been pushed up as far as it would go. Looking through the window he noticed a pair of boots on the sink. He examined the boots, and noticing they were strange boots he became suspicious. He heard someone leave by the front door, and ran round to the front of the house, but did not see anyone.
Police-constable Haylock, who was informed by Mr. Wilson of what had taken place, first went the house, and then went in search of the prisoner, whom he found walking towards Mexborough without boots. He told the constable that he had thrown his boots away, as his feet were sore. The constable took the prisoner to the Conisborough police station. He afterwards found that the boot.-, fitted the prisoner’s feet, and that there was a cut on the heel the right, boot which corresponded with a sore on prisoner’s right foot.
Prisoner said came to Conisborough with a man named Kirkland, but Kirkland had not been found.
Clara Gregory, Villas. Conisborough, said she used to live in this house, and the man Kirkland lodged with her at one time. He often got through the scullery window, and knew how all the doors were fastened.
Prisoner was committed to take his trial next Quarter Sessions.