Theft of Clothes at Conisboro’

Mother and Daughter Charged

Eliza Morris, Conisboro’, was charged with two thefts of wearing apparel, the property of Mrs. Higgin, and Annie Hopkins; and her mother, Esther Morris, married woman, New Conisboro’, was charged with receiving the articles, knowing them to be stolen.

Isabella Higgins, married woman, Sprotbrough Street, Denaby Main, stated that on the 11th inst. she hung some clothes which had been washed upon a line in the back yard. That was at about 3.30 p.m. The articles included a baby’s frock and two pinafores. She saw them on the line at 5.30, and at 5.45 they were missing. The total value of the articles was about 5s.

On the following day, in consequence of a communication made to her, she went near Mr. Baker’s butcher’s shop, and there watched for the prisoner coming from school. She noticed the prisoner, Eliza Morris, who was then wearing one of the missing pinafores. Witness took her home and asked her where she had got the pinafore. The girl answered, “Not off the line.” She subsequently took the girl to her mother, and asked the latter where the pinafore which her daughter had been wearing had been obtained, and the mother replied, “I don’t know. She brought it home last night, and said a woman had given it to her.”

Witness named the other articles which she had missed, and the mother said that was the only garment her daughter took home. Subsequently, Mrs. Morris visited witness’s house with a bundle of clothing, from which witness picked out a baby’s skirt (produced).

P.C. Waine deposed to arresting the younger defendant on the previous day, when she said “a boy” had given her the articles. The mother handed him a couple of pinafores and a nightgown. Both prisoners pleaded “not guilty,” the girl saying that the articles were given to her by another girl residing at 7, Balby Street, New Conisboro’.

The second case was then heard. Annie Hopkins, married woman, 30, Clifton Street, New Conisboro’, deposed that on the 11th inst. she hung out some clothes which had been washed, including a child’s frock and black apron (produced), on a line in the yard. She missed the articles on the same evening. Their value was 9s. She was unacquainted with both prisoners.

P.C. Waine deposed to arresting the defendants, and so the mother denied that the articles mentioned in the second case had ever been in her house. He then searched the house, and found them beneath the bed clothes.

The younger defendant was dealt with under the First Offenders’ Act, and ordered to come up for judgment when called upon, and the mother was mulcted in an inclusive penalty of 20s. in each case.