Mexborough and Swinton Times, October 22.
Theft of Turnips at Conisborough.
Thomas Harrop, of Conisborough, was charged with larceny.
PC Munro deposed that on noon on Friday the eighth inst, he was on duty on the high way leading from Conisborough to Edlington, and near to Clifton Lane Ends, when he saw the defendant go through the hedge into Mr Greaves turnip field.
The lad saw witness soon after he had plucked the turnips, and then he threw them down and ran away.
Witness told him to go back and fetch them, in answer to the charge he said he was going to take them home.
Mr Tom Frances Greaves said he did not wish to press the case against the lad, but he had heard frequent complaints about thefts of turnips. There were two fields on either side of the road, and the land was strewed with turnip tops and thehedges were greatly damaged.
As the complainant did not wish to press the case, the bench decided to dismiss it on payment of the costs, nine shillings.
The defendant father declined to pay the money at first, and the child would then have had to go to prison for seven days, but Lord Auckland having spoken strongly against such a proceeding, the money was ultimately forthcoming.