Mexborough and Swinton Times July 15, 1905
Theft of Money at New Conisborough
A young girl, named Kate Bean, of Mexborough, was charged in custody with having stolen as bailee 16s belonging to James Moorhouse of New Conisborough, miner.
The prosecutor said he was residing at 99 Firbeck Street, New Conisborough, and he knew the prisoner, who came to lodge there on 20 April this year. Four days afterwards he gave her a suit of clothes to take to Whitaker’s pawn shop and pledge them for 15 shillings. He told her not be long with the money, as he wanted it. She took the clothes, left the house, and he had never seen her until that morning. He did not give her permission to return the whole or any part of the 15 shillings.
Mr Harry Corbett, pawnbroker’s assistant, said he lived at 12 Schofield Street, Mexborough and in April last was employed by H.H.Wray, pawnbroker of New Conisborough. He remembered the prisoner coming into the shop on 25 April with a black cloth suit of clothes to pawn. She asked 18 shillings on them, but he advanced 16 shillings on them. As they had been in pledge before he knew to whom the clothes belonged, and he also knew the prisoner was lodging with the previous witness.
PC Wailes, stationed at new Conisborough, said he apprehended the prison on the previous day on a warrant, at 3 PM at Featherstone. In reply to the charge she said, “It’s a lie; I did not steal 16 shillings because I gave Mrs Moorhouse nine shillings out of it.” In answer to the charge she said she was guilty of stealing seven shillings but not 16 shillings.
The prisoner said she opted 16 shillings on the clothes, but when she was going back home she met Mrs Moorhouse who took four shillings from her. The prosecutor had been thrashing his wife, was leaving him. She went to Mexborough station, where she got five shillings more from her. Then she dared not go back to Moorhouse as she was afraid of him.
She was ordered to pay 30 shillings including the costs.