Mexborough and Swinton Times March 24
Whose was the Rabbit ?
William Gabbitas, a youth, a labourer, dwelling with his father at Conisborough, was said to have stolen a tame rabbit, belonging to Charles Singleton, wetter off, from that place.
Singleton had in a box a rabbit with a crippled foot, but lost it in December; and he didn’t see it again until last week, when he found that tha boy named Kelly had bought it from Gabbitas for 9d.
Several witnesses were called, amongst others, Kitchen, a Collier, who sold the Rabbit to Singleton as one of a set of 10, seven of which were thus crippled. This doe, black and small, was shown alive in court.
Gabbitas, was found in the Conisborough Brickyard, and there apprehended by Sgt Morley; and he then said he had bought the rabbit from another place and sold it to a boy named Briggs. This last boy had lent to Kelly for 3d at the time of purchase.
Mr Hall, appearing for Gabbitas, called witnesses to prove that he bought this rabbit, and a white one for 9d, each, on a Sunday in November or December, from the son of a farmer and publican, named Osbourne, living at Micklebring, that they were of a set bread by him, and that the crooked toe was afterwards caused by a cat in a rat trap, as attested by Mrs Beaumont, who keeps house for Gabbitas’s father.
But the young man was committed for trial at the coming quarter sessions, there to be prosecuted, as now, by superintendent Sykes.
Bail was allowed. The hearing of the case took up an hour and a half.