Mexborough & Swinton Times, 7th July 1892
Theft by a Housekeeper at Conisborough
Bridget Dolan was charged with having stolen £9 belonging to James Morris, sinker, employed at the new Cadeby Colliery. The prosecutor said be lived at Conisborough and on the 24th ult. he left home at the usual time and went to work. He left the prisoner in the house to clean up. (Prisoner: “I was living with him as his wife. ‘)
This however, the prosecutor denied. He said the woman had been living at Barnsley with her son and the son got locked up and he paid a fine for him.
Prisoner: I lived with him (prosecutor) nine years since, and if he had not known so much about me he would not have trusted me.
The Chairman : That has nothing to do with the present case. –
The prosecutor (continuing) said he had left £9 in a wooden box upstairs, locked up. He saw it safe before he left home at eight o’clock in the morning. When he returned at 10.30 that night, he found the house in darkness and the doors locked. He entered by means of one of the windows. He found the prisoner had gone and he found the box had been broken open and the money stolen. He traced the woman to Bradford and followed her into a public-house. She saw him and said to a woman whom she was with, “I am done now This is the man I took the money from.” He went to Doncaster and took out a warrant against her and she was apprehended by P.c. Kettlewell.
Prisoner: Didn’t I live with you eight years ago at Barnsley?— No.
The Chairman: How long had she been with you ?—Three weeks. She kept going backwards and forwards to Barnsley. I paid a fine imposed on her son for gambling and she said she would wipe it out by housekeeping.
P.c. Kettlewell said he apprehended the woman in Bradford When he had read the warrant to her she said she “hoped Jim would forgive her.” She had spent all the money but tenpence, and she “Let’s spend that.”
The prisoner : I am very sorry. It is a disgrace to my children.
Sent to prison for one month.