Mexborough and Swinton Times, September 6.
Theft of a Revolver at Denaby.
William Roberts, a filler, Denaby, was charged in custody with having stolen a revolver and a rope at Denaby, the property of Joseph Charles Hodson, on 24 August.
Joseph Charles Hodson, a theatre proprietors staying at Denaby, said that he had occasion to use a rope as a backstay. He noticed something wrong with the rope “produced” on the Sunday morning and on examination found that some had been taken away. The following day he missed a revolver. He valued the goods at about 10 shillings.
Richard Hudson, a servant in the employ of the last witness, stated that on the Sunday morning in question he was engaged on putting the articles what had been used the night before away. The prisoner was in the theatre at the same time, though not employed by Mr Hodson.
Witness put two revolvers on a box. He had occasion to leave the theatre a few minutes, leaving the prisoner there. When he returned the prisoner and gone, and soon afterwards he found that one of the revolvers was missing this.
Frank Nicholson, head horse keeper at Cadeby Colliery underground, said on 27 August he saw the underground manager (Mr Moresby) stop the prisoner at about 1:45 PM when they had finished work.
He saw the underground manager take the revolver out of the prisoner’s pocket. He did not hear him give any explanation.
PC Barnett, stationed at Denaby, deposed that on 20 August, he apprehended the prisoner, and charged him with stealing the rope, and he replied “I took it, that’s all I’ve got to say”; and when charged with stealing the revolver he replied, “I have nothing to say.”
The prisoner pleaded guilty and had nothing to say.
The Chairman said that the prisoner had been up before, when the Bench had taken a very lenient view of the case, but they could not do so this time; he will be sent to prison for two calendar months with hard Labour.