At Doncaster West Riding court on Wednesday before Mr J.W.Hodgson (presiding) and Mr F.W.Cocking, a very small boy, named George Foster, whose nine years just saw his head tip the defendant’s rail, and who treated the proceedings quite philosophically, was charged with stealing a number of chickens from the fowl-run of Herbert P Evans on Sunday. Some astounding particulars were given.
P.C.Stott stated that he saw the boy in Mr Evans fowl run, saw him pick several young chickens up, and put them under his jersey. He dropped one, and he was just walking away when the police officer stopped him. He found four birds under his jersey. When the owner made an investigation he found nine had gone, and when the boy was questioned he said “I have been before. I had the chickens under my jersey. I dropped them in the garden when I got outside” The chickens were valued at five shillings.
The father said the lad seemed to have a mania for stealing chickens, and the schoolmaster had said he did not seem to be an ordinary boy. He let them loose when he got out. He had done his utmost with him. He would not go to school.
PC’s Stott told the magistrate that since the case gave forward the discovered that the boy was responsible for breaking into four other fowl places. He had taken eggs and had sucked them, and taken pigeons and killed them, and given them away. He had apparently a mania for chickens. Not long ago he broke into a public house and stole some glasses, which he afterwards endeavoured to dispose of at two for 3d. He had a mania for roving, and he had been sent back by train from Sheffield, Rotherham and other towns, where he had travelled to. His father had thrashed him, but it had no effect.
The chairman: he seems to be an awkward sort of customer to deal with. This time, Mr Hodgson proceeded, they would try what they could do. He would have to receive three strokes with the birch rod, And he warned him if he came again he would probably be send to a reformatory.